Eternal
by Felina699
Summary: With loving parents, an elite background and dark connections, what else can she ask for? The answer is simple. Thrill and him. "You want to take the hunter exam for fun? Sounds interesting, I'm in!" Or so she thought. The hunter exam, the beginning of her adventure as she discovers thrill, her potential, friendship, and maybe something more? (Killua x OC, slow progress)
1. Juice

Welcome to my first Hunter x Hunter fanfic! Reviews and feedbacks are extremely welcome so don't hold back!

Note: This fanfic will most likely follow the plot of the anime. Enjoy~

Disclaimer: I do not own Hunter x Hunter!

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Chapter One

She gathered her raven locks and tied it up into a ponytail before walking up to the tiny green man. The man noticed her approached and smiled kindly at her. When she arrived before him, he took out a tag with the number 100 on it. "Welcome to the Hunter Exam. Please keep your tag on your chest at all times and be careful not to lose it."

"Thank you," she said, accepting the tag. She pinned the tag onto her black, off the shoulder top before scanning the exam site. At first, she noticed a bunch of rowdy-looking guys and very few girls. _They all look weak_. But of course, that conclusion was only drawn from the initial scan. Her second scan allowed her to pinpoint some interesting applicants. Hence, an amused smile crept onto her face.

Just then, she felt a nudge from behind. "Someone's approaching," informed a voice.

She hummed softly. "I know."

Surely, seconds later, a fat man appeared before the lass and introduced himself. "Hello rookies, I'm Tonpa, what's your name?"

"It's Elina," she said, stealing a glance at Tonpa's tag. It had the number 16.

"I see, so it's Elina! What a wonderful name!" Tonpa then pointed at the silver-haired boy beside her, "And what's yours?"

Instead of introducing himself, the silver-haired boy narrowed his deep blue eyes. "How did you know we're rookies?" His voice was guarded.

Tonpa grinned brightly. "You don't have to be so cautious. I'm only an old exam veteran who wants to make friends." He extended out his hand for a handshake but was rejected by the younger male. Tonpa laughed sheepishly and retrieved his hand. "Anyway, to celebrate our meeting, let's have a toast!" He immediately reached for his bag and took out two cans of juice. He shoved the juice into Elina's and her companion's hands. "Drink up, it's very good!"

Elina cracked open the can and secretly gave it a sniff. " _You don't have to be so cautious"... Yeah right, who in the right mind would put laxative in someone's juice?_ She glanced at her partner. He was actually drinking the juice and seems to be enjoying it. _Really, Killua?_

Tonpa watched with pleasure as the silver-haired boy gulped down the drink. _Messy silver hair, deep blue eyes, and that skateboard… You think you look cool? Well, you'll soon die from dehydration. I can't wait to see that look of despair!_

Finishing the juice, the younger boy wiped his mouth with his sleeves. "Gosh, this sure hit the spot! Thanks, Tonpa!"

 _Huh? Huhhhh!? What the heck?! How can he be perfectly fine after drinking that!_ Tonpa began to sweat like crazy. "N-no problem, I'm glad you like it." _Crap, I stuttered-_

His thoughts were interrupted by a _clang._ What came after was a cry. "Oh no! I'm so sorry, Tonpa-san! I dropped the juice!"

Tonpa wore an understanding smile. "No, it's fine. I'll give you another one." He handed Elina another can of juice.

 _...Can't you see that I don't want it?_ "...Thank you, that's so nice of you."

"Of course!" Tonpa took Elina's words to heart and puffed out his chest. After a few more minutes of chit-chat, Tonpa finally left to "welcome" some more rookies.

Once Tonpa was out of sight, Elina muttered something underneath her breath. Killua swore he heard, "What an annoying b*stard". Thanks to Tonpa, Elina's mood had taken a sour turn. Seeing his partner like that, he couldn't help but laugh. "You reap what you sow. Who told you to act so friendly?"

"I was only being _polite_ ," Elina snapped, throwing her can of juice at the boy. Killua easily caught the can and placed it into his pocket.

Walking up to a crate, Elina took a seat. "When will the exam start? I'm bored already..."

Killua was about to say something, but the sudden loud noise caught his attention instead. A man with light purple hair and wore a dark purple suit appeared in the very front of the crowd. "I apologize for the wait. I'm Satotz, the examiner for phase one. I shall lead you all to the exam's second phase. The exam for his phase is you must follow me to phase two. Begin!"

Killua whistled. "Straight to the point, huh? I like that." The people in the front began to walk and slowly started to pick up the pace. Elina reluctantly stood up. _I just sat down..._ Shaking her head, she followed the crowd and broke into a run. When she glanced to her left, she was greeted by thin air. A small irk mark appeared on her forehead. _He ditched me!_

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Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoyed! I apologize for the length of this chapter. I promise the length will increase as the fanfic progresses.

If you have any question, feedback, or anything you'd like to say, feel free to pm me or drop a review. I enjoy interacting with my fellow authors and readers so come at me! Of course, please deliver criticisms professionally.

Once again, thank you for reading and please support me well! Cya next chapter~


	2. Race

Chapter 2

Elina clicked her tongue. It has been two hours since the start of the exam and many applicants have already failed. Coincidentally, to her right, someone had just collapsed onto the floor. Ignoring that applicant, Elina simply kept running. _Just where did Killua go?_

"Wait up, kid!" yelled a male's voice from the front. "You're using a skateboard! That's cheating!"

 _Skateboard…? Guess I found him._ Elina fastened her pace and ran to the front. When she arrived, Killua was chatting with a tall, black-haired guy in a dark blue suit.

"Why?" Killua stared at his skateboard in confusion.

"That's because this is an endurance test!" fumed the older male.

Elina sighed inwardly. _No, it's not_. She was about to run up to Killua when the boy running beside her spoke up. "No, it isn't. The examiner only told us to follow him."

The older male turned back and exclaimed, "Gon! Who's side are you on?!" _So his name is Gon_.

Gon was a young boy that looked around Elina's age. He had tall greenish black hair and wore an outfit that consisted of a green jacket, shorts, and matching boots. Oddly enough, he carried a fishing rod in his yellow backpack.

Killua raised an eyebrow. He pushed a foot off the ground and glided to Gon. "Hey, how old are you?"

"Twelve years old."

"Hmm, we're the same age then."

"Really?!" Gon's brown eyes gleamed with excitement. Killua smiled and pointed to Gon's right. "She's also twelve."

"Huh?" Gon glanced to his right. Indeed, there was a young girl running parallel to him. She had pale fair skin, wore an simple outfit, and had her silky raven locks tied up into a ponytail. "...Cute."

"Eh?" squeaked Elina.

Gon frantically covered his mouth and laughed sheepishly. Elina blinked. She certainly didn't see that coming. Embarrassed, she avoided eye contact. "Thank you…" was all she managed to say. _He has a sweet mouth for his age..._

Killua frowned at the scene. It was only for a split second so no one noticed. He jumped off his skateboard, flipped the board into the air, caught it, and tucked it under his arm. "Guess, I'll run as well."

Gon's eyes twinkled. "Wow! That was so cool!"

"I'm Killua and she's Elina," stated Killua.

"I'm Gon and he's Leorio," replied Gon.

The four exchanged greetings and conversed as they ran. "Why is someone like you taking the hunter exam?" This question was posed by Leorio to Elina. In Leorio's eyes, Elina appeared to be petite and fragile girl. She had the look of something that needs to be taken with extensive care. "It's dangerous, you know?"

"Haha, is that so? I sure hope nothing bad happens." Elina appreciates Leorio's concerns for her, but it really wasn't necessary.

The clock continued to tick as it trimmed down applicants. Finally, all the running began to take a toll on Leorio's body. His right arm felt heavy from holding his briefcase. His legs ache and wobbled as he took another step. Sweat broke out like crazy and trickled down his chin. Attempting to catch his breath, Leorio stopped in his steps.

It didn't take long for Gon to stop as well. He turned to face the exhausted Leorio causing Killua and Elina to stop as well. Although Killua urged Gon to leave Leorio and get going, Gon remained still. "Don't screw with me…" huffed Leorio. "I'm definitely gonna become a hunter!" With a single stride, Leorio dashed with all his might, surpassing the twelve years old.

Gon grinned at his friend's resolve and took out his fishing rod. With one swing, he managed to retrieve Leorio's briefcase. "Cool!" commented Killua. "Let me try that later."

"Only if you let me try your skateboard."

Elina shook her head helplessly at their conversation. She fasten her pace and reached the stairs, but stopped to wait for the boys.

"Elina! Gon and I are racing to see who finishes first. Wanna join?"

Elina tilted her head. _A race?_ "Are you sure about this, Killua? In terms of speed, I'm better than you."

Killua shot Elina a glare. "Yeah, right. I'm the one who's gonna win!"

"The losers have to buy the winner dinner," added Gon.

"Let's go!" yelled Killua, signaling the beginning of the race. Killua instantly jolted off with Gon behind his rear. Elina hurried up as well. _Now_ that's _cheating._

Gon and Killua kept on running and running. "Is it ok to leave Elina behind?" Gon inquired.

"It's fine. She'll catch up in no time." Killua dismissed Gon's worry and continued to accelerate. Soon, he caught up to Leorio and met someone new. The person beside Leorio had blond hair and a feminine face. One might mistakenly take him for a female.

Gon waved at the blond-haired male. "See you at the goal, Kurapika."

"Catch you later, old man!" shouted Killua.

Leorio face grew red at Killua's remark. "I'm not old! I'm a teenager, just like you guys!" he declared.

"Huh?!" Killua's blue pupil dilated.

"No way!" cried Gon. Gon, Killua, and even Kurapika were in a state of shock. It was only till they heard a bubbly laughter that reverted them back to normal.

"Sorry, Leorio-san. That was so funny. I couldn't help but laugh." Elina chuckled as she turned and faced Kurapika. "I'm Elina. Nice to meet you."

"The pleasure is all mine. I'm Kurapika."

"Tch." Killua clicked his tongue. "You've already caught up."

Elina beamed happily. "Yup."

Killua turned and faced Gon. "Let's go," he whispered. Gon nodded and the two dashed off again.

"Are you not gonna chase after them?" asked Kurapika.

Elina shook her head. "It's fine. I'm giving them another head start."

Gon and Killua ran all the way to the front, surpassing many applicants. Elina, along with Leorio and Kurapika were nowhere in sight. "Killua, why do you want to become a hunter?" inquired Gon, after a moment of silence.

"Me? I'm not really interested in becoming a hunter. I heard the exam was supposed to be really hard, so I thought it'd be fun. It's the same for Elina as well," answered Killua.

"Killua knew Elina before the hunter exam?"

"I guess you can say that. We knew each other ever since we're young."

Gon sweatdropped. _You make it sounds like you're old or something._ "Aww~ So far this exam is very disappointing," complained Killua. Gon sweatdropped again.

"What about you, Gon?"

"Me? Well, my dad's a hunter so I want to become a hunter like him."

Killua raised an eyebrow. _Like your dad?_ "What kind of hunter is he?"

"I don't know." Gon chuckled at his own answer and Killua laughed along. "That's kind of weird. You want to be like your dad, but you don't know anything about him?"

Gon scratched the back of his head sheepishly. "I was raised by my aunt, Mito-san, so I don't know anything about my dad. I heard he was twelve when he took the hunter exam. He passed, became a hunter, and left the island. I want to find out why he chose to be a hunter over being with me."

"Hmm... I see," said a sudden voice. "I hope you find him one day."

Gon flashed a wide grin to the person on his right. "Thank you, Elina! But how long were you here?"

"From the beginning," was her answer. Gon raised another question for the female. "Then, is it true that you don't want to become a hunter? Like Killua, are you're just taking the exam for fun?"

Elina shook her head. "Not exactly. I do want to become a hunter since being a hunter has its own convenience, but it's also true that I'm taking this exam for fun. More precisely, it's because Killua decided to take the exam so here I am."

"Ah! I see the exit!" exclaimed Killua. At the end of the stairs was a veil of light. The three twelve years old exchanged glances and bolted off. "Goal~!"cheered the three after reaching the summit, surpassing Satotz in the process.

"Yay! I won!" Gon exclaimed.

"Huh?! What are you saying? I was faster," argued Killua.

"No matter how you look at it, I arrived first," claimed Elina.

Electricity danced in the background between the three. Gon turned to Satotz. "Hey, who was faster?"

"I believe that you've all crossed the finish line simultaneously, but if I must choose, I think number 100 was a little bit faster," Satotz answered.

"Yay! My win!" Elina grinned joyfully. She turned to Gon and Killua and held out a peace sign. Gon and Killua dropped their head down in defeat. Elina turned back to Satotz and realized something super important. She was ashamed of herself for not noticing it earlier. _Satotz-san…_ _He_ doesn't _have a mouth?!_ Elina was a little disturb by this discovery but refrained herself from asking any questions that may be deemed as rude.

"Oh yeah, Satotz-san, is this where the exam of the second phase takes place?" Gon asked, recovering from his loss.

Satotz shook his head. "No, we still have more distance to cover."

"There's more?" Elina whined as she took a seat on the patch of grass. Now that they were out of the dark tunnel, they found themselves in a forest like environment. The thick white fog made it hard for people to see beyond their location.

With a _plunk_ , Killua sat beside Elina. "Speed may be your forte, but I have more stamina. We ran roughly 80 kilometers. You think you'll be able to run till the end?"

 _Is he perhaps worried?_ Elina flashed Killua a subtle smile. "I'm fine. Even if I don't have as much stamina as you, I'm more than capable of passing the first phase. I won't go down that easily. Besides, I'm not even sweating. You don't have to worry about me, Killua."

"I-Idiot!" Killua exclaimed. "I'm not worried or anything! I'm just being _polite_. If you feel tired or something, I can carry you if you want."

Elina giggled. _So cute_. "Hmmm~ Being carried by you…? That doesn't sound like a bad idea."

Killua frowned. He knew she was only teasing him, but nevertheless, he felt his temperature rising. "Gosh, here I was being _polite_." With that said, Killua left and returned to Gon.

 _Did I go overboard with my teasing…? But hey, that was less than usual._

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There you have it~ Thanks for reading, everyone! Cya all next time~


	3. Swindlers Swamp

Chapter 3

"Kurapika! Leorio!" Gon shouted as he ran up to his friends.

"Is this our destination?" Kurapika asked. Gon shook his head.

It has been 20 minutes since Gon, Killua, and Elina reached the summit. Many other applicants had also arrived like Kurapika and Leorio. Satotz decided to wait 10 more minutes for more applicants before making an announcement.

10 minutes flew by in a blink of an eye. Satotz cleared his throat. All eyes were on him. "This is the Numere Wetlands, also known as Swindlers Swamp," he began. "We must cross these wetlands to reach the examination area of phase two. This place is home to many bizarre animals. Many of them are cunning, insatiable creatures who deceive human to prey on them. Be very careful. If you let them fool you… You're _dead_." Satotz's voice darkened towards the end of his explanation. The air became tensed. Everyone was on their toes, alert.

Leorio scoffed. "What a joke. How can they fool us when we're expecting it?"

Right on cue, a voice cried from behind. "Don't let them fool you! D-Don't fall for it…"

Everyone turned and faced the direction of the voice. An injured brunette appeared out of nowhere. He was in tattered clothes and was panting. The strange brunette pointed at Satotz. "He's lying to you! He's an imposter! I'm the real examiner!"

This sudden accusation caused a huge uproar. The strange brunette threw a monkey looking Satotz in the applicants' direction. "This is a Man-Faced Ape, one of the creatures that dwell in the Numere Wetlands. They love the taste of fresh human flesh. They disguise themselves as human and trick others into following them into these wetlands where they team up with other animals and devour them! That imposter is-"

 _Thud_! Before the brunette could finish, he collapsed onto the ground. Poker cards pierced through his chest and head. _Poker cards?_ Elina's eyes widened. She jumped up and her eyes began searching for someone. To be more exact, she's looking for a pervert. He's a male with red hair, amber eyes, a star on his right cheek and a teardrop on his left. Just thinking of him sends chills down her spine.

"I see, that settles it. You're the real one," said a man who dressed like a joker from a circus.

 _...It really is Hisoka._ Elina shook her head helplessly.

"Examiners are hunters selected by the committee to perform this duty without pay. Any hunter bearing the title we seek should've been able to block that attack," explained the joker.

"I shall take that as a compliment." Satotz discarded the poker cards in his hands and warned, "However, if you attack me for any reason, I will report you and you'll be disqualified. Understand?"

"Yes," Hisoka replied.

Satotz once again cleared his throat. "We should be on our way now. Please follow me." With that said, he instantly set off and everyone followed. Elina returned to Killua's and Gon's side and ran alongside them. "Guys, let's move up," Killua suggested.

"You're right, we don't want to lose sight of the examiner," replied Gon.

Killua shook her head. "I'm more concerned with increasing the distance between Hisoka and us. Staying too close to him is dangerous."

Gon hummed in response before shouting, "Leorio! Kurapika! Killua said we should move up!" Elina sweatdropped. _He's oblivious to the tension surrounding us._

"Don't worry about us! Go ahead!" Kurapika shouted back. With Kurapika's permission Gon hurried after Killua and Elina. After a moment of running, Gon spoke up, "Will Leorio and Kurapika be ok? All I'm hearing are screams."

"Just stay on your guard. I'm sure they'll be fine," Elina comforted. Killua nodded in agreement before accelerating and Gon hurried behind. Elina heaved a sigh as the boys ran off _again_. From behind she made sure to keep a proper distance between them so she wouldn't lose sight of them-

"?!" Elina abruptly stopped. The two boys ahead of her had disappeared. She frantically scouted the area and spotted a giant frog jumping out from the ground. Her face began to turn pale. _Don't tell me they've been eaten…?_ She frantically shook her head. _Nah, that can't happen…_ _But just maybe?_ Elina peeked over at the giant moving frog and decided to follow it. It only took a few minutes for her suspicion to be proven correct. When the frog puked, out came Gon and Killua. _Ew!_

"I guess it didn't like the taste of us," joked Gon.

Killua stood up and dusted his clothes. In the process he took out a crushed can from his pocket. "It was this that saved us. Well, I could've escaped even without this." Gon laughed at his remark.

"Gosh, I can't believe you two were actually eaten…" muttered Elina in disgusted. "Let's get going. At this rate, we can still catch up to the examiner."

Killua agreed and sprinted off. Elina was about to follow him when she heard Gon muttered, "I'm still worried about Leorio and Kurapika."

"Then get going," said Elina, waving Gon off. "Just promise me that you'll meet us at the goal."

Gon flashed her a grin and declared, "Of course," before rushing off in the opposite direction. Elina's gaze lingered on Gon as he faded into the distance before she set off herself.

* * *

"Eh, Gon really isn't here..." Killua mumbled after scanning the site. He noticed Gon went missing after he caught up with the examiner. After he reached the goal, he thought Gon would arrive shortly, however, the greenish black-haired boy never appeared. "Even Elina went missing too," grumbled Killua as he ruffled his silver hair in annoyance. Killua sat on the ground in vexation. Satotz claimed that he'll end phase one after 30 minutes and it has already been 15 minutes. _Will they make it here on time?_

Just went he thought that, Killua heard someone calling his name. It was Elina. "Killua~" she sang, running up to him. The silver-haired boy ignored her.

Elina smiled bitterly at her partner before turning to the creepy magician. "Please leave him here," she instructed.

Hisoka nodded and dropped Leorio onto the ground in a not-so-gentle manner. The male cried in agony and Elina winced. _That looks painful_.

Killua narrowed his eyes at the sight of Hisoka but the magician payed no attention to him. Elina thanked and waved Hisoka goodbye before returning her attention to Killua. "What happened?" was the first thing he asked. "Nothing much. I simply saw him on the way here with Leorio on his back," was her answer. Killua scooted over to his left and patted the ground. "Sit."

Elina did what she was told. _He's not upset anymore?_

"Don't go off on your own from now on," instructed Killua. "Understand?"

Elina hummed as she leaned against Killua. She was about to nuzzle her head against his shoulder when he ordered, "Stop."

Elina froze. She redeemed the distance between them and secretly pouted when she turned away. Nevertheless, Killua noticed. He rubbed the back of his neck and heaved a sigh before muttering, "Not now… You can do it later..."

Elina's eyes widened. She instantly turned to face Killua, but it was already too late. He had already stood up and left for a walk. Elina felt warm. Blood was rushing up to her cheeks and her heart was racing. She took a deep breath to calm herself down. Once she was calm she heard a shout.

"Elina! I'm here like I promised!" It was Gon. Next to him was Kurapika and... Killua. The three were coming her way.

"Is Leorio alright?" Kurapika asked.

Elina nodded. "Yeah, he's just unconscious."

"That's good to hear." Kurapika let out a sigh of relief.

Gon woke Leorio up by shaking the poor guy. Just then, Satotz shouted, "Alright, times up!" He turned to the passing applicants and announced, "Congratulation, everyone. Phase one has come to an end. This is the location of the second phase. I wish everyone good luck."


	4. Dream Eggs

Are my eyes playing tricks on me? People are actually reading this fanfic?! I'm so happy (^-^)

FanFictionAnimeLover, thank you for being the first reader to favorite and follow. You truly upheld to your name.

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Chapter 4

"The second phase is now over! Zero applicants have passed!" declared an irritated teal-haired woman. She was Menchi, the examiner of the second phase. Beside her stood a big, fat, black-haired man named Buhara, the other examiner.

"What the h*ll!" hollered an applicant.

"Bullsh*t!" screamed another.

"You haven't even tried mine yet!" cried another.

Menchi's announcement brought upon a huge uproar. How did this happen? Well, let's rewind a few hours back.

The exam for the second phase was _cooking_. The challenge was to produce a dish that will satisfy the examiners' palate and the required ingredient was pork. Sounds simple, right? Well, it wasn't.

Finding the pigs was annoying. Capturing the pigs wasn't easy. Cooking was by far the hardest. Most applicants simply roasted the pig and served it. That pissed Menchi off.

"Is she going to fail everyone?" Leorio asked in disbelief.

"Everyone, but me," stated Elina. She smiled proudly at the dish. It was hamburger steak. The steak was covered in sauce, topped with some herbs as spices, and had some vegetables on the side.

Gon sniffed the dish. "It smells so nice!"

Leorio was taken back. "You can cook? A twelve year old can cook better than all of us? That's messed up."

"Oh yeah, you can cook," Killua recalled. "I forgot about that." _Since others had always cooked for you._ He picked up a kitchen knife and handed to Elina. "You should just make something for all of us."

"Sure." Elina complied happily and went straight into cooking mode. Just when she finished cooking four more dishes and was about to serve it to Menchi, the teal-haired examiner exploded. Menchi ended the exam and hollered, "Zero applicants has passed!"

That was how things came to how they stand now.

"Aw... I really wanted her to try my dish," whimpered Elina as she dropped her head in defeat. All her efforts had gone to waste. Gon tried to cheer her up, but the she only sighed. That was when a huge blimp hovered over the exam site.

"That's the Hunter Committee Logo!" noted Kurapika in shock.

Just then, a voice came from above. "Menchi, to fail every applicant is a bit too much, don't you think?"

Elina's eyes widened. _This voice!_ Her head shot up. An old geezer, wearing a white robe with blue outlines descended from the blimp. Despite falling down from such a high place, in addition to his old age, the geezer was perfectly fine.

"Chairman Netero!?" Menchi exclaimed in shock. Netero walked up to Menchi and the two had a small talk. No one heard what they were talking about, but once they finished, everyone was instructed to get on the blimp. They were only notified that the new challenge will be boiled eggs.

Everyone got off at Mt. Split-In-Half. As described by its name, there was a wide gap in the middle of the mountain. Menchi instructed everyone to look down the gap. "That's a Spider Eagle's web and below that are Spider Eagle eggs, also known as dream eggs. Your task is to get an egg and boil it."

Once Menchi finished her explanation, she jumped down the gap and demonstrated how to retrieve an egg.

"She rode the wind?" Kurapika commented, astonished at how Menchi came back up.

Elina's eyes twinkled "Now that looks fun!" Without hesitation, she jumped over the edge. Gon, Killua, Kurapika, and Leorio did the same. The five grabbed onto the spider web and waited. One by one, more applicants jumped.

"Catch you later!" yelled an applicant as he let go of the web. Some followed his example.

"We should go too," stated Leorio. Gon shook his head and shut his eyes. "Why not?"

"There's no wind," answered Killua.

"They're just falling to their death…" Elina commented when suddenly she felt an abrupt shook. "It seems like the web can't hold us all."

"When's the next updraft?" Leorio panicked. Anxiety filled the hearts of many applicants. "It's gonna snap!" he cried.

Gon's brown eyes snapped open. "Now!" he commanded. All at once, everyone released their hold of the web and fell, retrieving an egg in the process. Seconds later, a gust of wind blew everyone upward, back onto the surface.

"That was so exciting!" exclaimed Elina.

"That was bad for my heart…" mumbled Leorio.

Menchi glanced at the rest of the applicants and smiled. "I guess you've all gave up then." She then clapped her hands and gathered everyone's attention before giving out more instructions. After everyone had their egg boiled, the feast began.

"This is damn good!" cried an applicant, shoving the egg into their mouth.

Kurapika smiled. "I can see what they're called dream eggs."

"Aw~ No matter how many times I eat these they're still so good~" sang Elina.

Gon's jaw dropped. "Eh! Elina, you've eaten these before?"

Leorio raised an eyebrow. "Are you a rich kid or something? I bet these are h*ll expensive."

Elina laughed nervously. "What are you saying? I'm as normal as one can get." Killua scoffed at her remark, earning him a glare from the female.

"Alright guys, the second phase has officially ended!" announced Menchi and everyone cheered.

After the feast, Chairman Netero had all everyone board the blimp again. He did a formal introduction of himself before his secretary, Bean, the tiny green man in suit, spoke up, "We are scheduled to arrive at the site of the third phase tomorrow morning at 8 AM. You'll find dinner in the dining hall and are free to do as you please until we arrive at our location. Please enjoy the ride."


	5. Game

Chapter 5

"Guys," Gon called out softly. "I know this is a weird question but where are your parents?"

Elina blinked in surprise. _That certainly is an unexpected question._ "They're alive," she answered.

"Yeah, mine's too," said Killua.

Gon hummed. "What do they do?" he asked innocently.

Elina sweatdropped and glanced at Killua. The silver-haired boy only shrugged and replied, "They're assassins."

Gon's eyes widened. "Both of them?"

Killua stared at Gon for a second before bursting into laughter. "That's your reaction? You're the first person who ever took me seriously."

Gon tilted his head."But you're telling the truth, right?"

Killua nodded. "Anyway, I'm from a family of assassins," he confessed. "They're all assassins… And apparently, they have really high hopes for me… But I can't stand it. Who wants to have their life planned out for them? When I told them I wanted to decide my own future, they all snapped! My mother had tears streaming down her face as she told me that I have the potential to become a top assassin," grumbled Killua. "They're horrible, right?"

Gon chuckled at Killua's complaints. "Anyway, we ended up fighting, so I stabbed my mother in the face, my brother in the side, and ran away from home…" Killua's blue eyes glinted with mischief. "I'm sure they're out for blood right now, but if they find me I'll send them packing. When I become a hunter, I'll start by capturing my family. I'm sure they're worth some hefty bounties~"

Gon sweatdropped at Killua's blissful expression. "How did you and Elina end up taking the hunter exam?"

"Oh, that?" Killua turned to face Elina and frowned. "After I ran away from home, she somehow managed to find me. I told her that I'm going to take the hunter exam for fun and she replied,' _You want to take the hunter exam for fun? Sounds interesting, I'm in!'_ and followed me to the exam site."

Gon gave Elina a wryly smile to which she only shrugged. "What about your parents, Elina?"

Elina pointed at herself. "Me? Well, both my parents are hunters. More precisely, my mother is. My father… he's an assassin as well."

"Eh, so you both have an assassin as a father?" Gon was amazed by the news when another question popped into mind. "Did you two perhaps meet because of your fathers?" His two friends nodded. Gon jumped out of his seat and exclaimed, "That's so cool~!"

"What's so cool about that?" muttered Killua. He turned to Elina and smirked, "When you went to find me, you snuck out, didn't you?" Elina childishly stuck out her tongue at the boy causing him to chuckled.

"So you did~. I bet there was a huge commotion after people realized that you were gone."

"I think so too."

"Was your mother home?"

"If she was, I wouldn't be here."

"True~" Killua chimed.

"You both must've had it hard." Gon continued to listen to his friends' stories and told some of his own. And so, the three chatted happily until nightfall. Suddenly, the three twelve years old snapped their head to the left. No one was there. They shifted to the right upon hearing footsteps. To their right was Netero.

"Um, Netero-san, did you see anyone coming from that side?" asked Gon, pointing to his left. Netero shook his head. "No, I did not."

Killua narrowed his blue eyes. "You're pretty fast for an old man."

Netero smirked. "That little trick? I barely moved."

"Do you need anything from us, Netero-san?" Elina asked with a polite smile. Netero chuckled, "Nothing much. I'm just bored and was looking for some companions to play with. By the way, may I ask for your thoughts on the hunter exam?"

"I think it's alright. I was expecting it to be harder," answered Elina.

"I think it's fun!" stated Gon. There haven't been any writing exams that I was dreading about."

Killua scoffed, "Well, I'm disappointed. I expected a far more difficult exam. I assume the next one will be more entertaining?"

Netero shrugged and replied, "Who knows," earning him a scowl from Killua. "Don't be like that. Would you guys care to play a game with me? If you guys are able to defeat me, I'll let you be hunters without taking the whole exam."

"Really?! I'll play!" Gon agreed immediately. Elina accepted the offer as well. The two looked at Killua for his answer. "You're on," Killua declared.

The four of them moved to a different location to play the game. Netero changed into a black tank top and grey sweatpants when he went to get a yellow ball. "If you take this ball from me before the airship reaches your destination, you win. That means you have around nine hours. You're free to attack me however you like and I won't attack you guys."

"Eh? That's so easy. It won't even be a game," Gon stated. Elina sighed inwardly. _If only if it's that easy._

"Why not give it a try first?" suggested Netero.

The three exchanged glances and nodded. Killua was the first to step forward. He began walking in a circle with Netero in the center. His steps were light and silent. Suddenly, multiple Killuas appeared to be surrounding Netero.

Gon's pupil dilated. "There are so many Killuas!" he exclaimed.

Netero narrowed his eyes. _This is an assassination technique. Rhythm Echo. Practitioners use a certain rhythm to create after images, confusing the enemy. I am astonished that such a young child has already mastered that technique._

Killua waited for the right time before dashing out to attack Netero in attempt to seize the ball. Netero took a step back and dodged the attack. Killua then did a backflip, attempting to kick the ball out of the geezer's hand. However, this attack was invaded as well. Killua continued to charge, jump, kick and did whatever he could to retrieve the ball. All his attempts ended as a failure.

"Tsk!" Killua clicked his tongue. _Damn, he keeps darting around! Is he really an old man?_

"What? Is that all?" Netero provoked. Killua got back onto his feet and bit his lips. _I'll just have to stop his movements!_ Once again, Killua charged at Netero and kicked him in the foot. The sound of the impact was loud and clear.

Elina winced in pain. _Poor Killua._

"Ouch! Right on his pivot leg!" cried Gon. Killua grinned smugly at his attack, however, that grin soon turned into a frown. "Ow!" he cried in agony as he held his right leg close to him.

 _He didn't hold back with that kick. If I were an ordinary person, that would've shattered my leg. Not bad_. Netero complimented inwardly.

 _What the heck! His leg is hard like iron._ Killua groaned in pain.

"Killua! Switch! It's my turn!" yelled Gon. Killua limped back to his friend and gave Gon a high five. Gon grinned and step forward.

Netero hummed. _What will this kid try? He appears to be a very honest boy_. Gon stared into Netero's eyes and took a deep breath before dashing right at the old man.

Netero raised an eyebrow. _He has a quick first step... But he'll need another ten years before attacking me head on. I guess he's still a child_. Netero waited for Gon to appeared before him when suddenly his head shot up. _From above?!_

Gon jumped and was about to attack when his head banged against the ceiling. Unfortunately, he jumped a little _too_ high.

Elina facepalmed and shook her head helplessly. "Idiot! Control your strength! The old man even relaxed his guard!" scold Killua from the sideline. Gon laughed sheepishly. "Sorry about that."

Netero laughed inwardly. _These two should be able to keep me from getting bored. Besides…_ He glanced at Elina. _She's here as well._

The clock continued to tick and like Killua, Gon also failed to get the ball. "Gon, my turn now!" called Elina from the sideline. Gon glanced at Elina and walked up to her. He gave her a high five and she stepped forward. Like Gon, Elina charged straight at Netero.

 _Fast!_ Netero noted inwardly as he moved several steps back, but Elina continued to move forward. She jumped and did a roundhouse kick in mid-air, followed by a tornado kick and landed on her lands. With a single flip, she was back on her feet and closed the distance between them. She extended out her hand for the ball, but Netero twirled around, his back facing Elina, before doing a backflip.

Elina clenched her fist. _So close!_ Her eyes burned with passion as adrenaline traveled up her veins.

Netero hummed amusingly as he stared at Elina's back. _Good. She improved so much in such a short amount of time. I can see why she's_ her _daughter_. _She's just like her mother when she was young._

Netero turned to the boys. "It'll take you guys forever to take the ball from me. Why don't you three attack simultaneously?"

"Why you!" yelled Killua, charging at Netero. Gon did the same. "I'll get you this time!" he exclaimed.

Elina tried to snatch the ball from behind when Netero was occupied with Gon and Killua but it was useless. The three worked together to get the ball. They did everything they could, but at best they could only slow down Netero's movements. They've caused him to lose the ball several times, but Netero always managed to get it back before any of them made contact with it.

Panting, Gon wiped off the sweats on his forehead. _So we can't beat him without subterfuge._ Gon clenched his teeth and dashed at Netero again, lifting his leg to kick Netero's chin.

Netero shook his head. "Your attacks are getting boring." He took stood a step back to dodge the kick but a green boot came flying at him.

Netero clenched his teeth. _He kicked off his shoes to increase his range?!_ Followed by Gon's surprise attack, Killua jumped and kicked Netero in the head from behind, causing him to lose his balance. Trying to limit Netero's movements even further, Elina tackled him onto the floor and performed a headlock.

"Chance!" shouted Killua, darting to catch the ball that has fallen out of Netero's hand.

"I don't think so!" Netero grabbed Elina by the arm and threw her off as he kicked the ball away from Killua. Standing back on his feet, Netero ran to reclaim the ball when another green boot was thrown. It collided with the yellow ball, causing it to fly across the room.

"You and your little tricks!" cried Netero in slight annoyance. Gon, Killua, and Elina immediately dashed for the ball. Just when the ball was only an inch away from their hands, a gust of wind blew them aside. Gon and Killua were knocked onto the floor while Elina crashed into the walls.

Netero managed to reclaim the ball and turned to the three twelve years old. "I commend you fall on your efforts," he praised.

Gon's jaw dropped. "Wow! You're amazing, Netero-san!"

Killua clenched his fist in anger and stood up. "Forget it. I give up. It's my lost!"

Elina frowned at Killua's behavior but said nothing. "Why? We only used half of our time. And just now, we came really close," reasoned Gon.

Killua released a sigh. "Jeez… You really have no clue, do you? That old man barely used his right hand and left leg. At this rate, even if we chase him around for a year, we still won't be able to take the ball from him."

Netero rubbed his chin."Oh, you've found out? Here I thought I've fooled you all."

Elina sighed inwardly. _As if you can fool us that easily… At best, you can only fool Gon and you did_.

Killua rolled his eyes and headed for the exist. "Guys, let's go. There's no point in playing anymore."

Gon shook his head. "I'm gonna play a little longer. I don't care about the ball anymore, I just want to make Netero-san use his right hand."

"...Is that so." Killua turned to Elina. "I'm gonna stay too," was what she said. Killua gave both his friends a weird look for actually existing. After Killua left, Gon and Elina took turns snatching the ball from Netero. Despite the number of failures, the two improved remarkably. Gon became relatively faster, more observant, and focused. Elina increased in power, stamina, and was able to think on the spot faster.

After countless tries, Gon finally forced Netero to use his right hand. In exchange for this achievement, Gon smacked his head (hard) against the wall before blacking out. "He's out like a light," noted Elina as she checked to see if Gon was alright.

"Now that's he out, it's just you and me." Netero faced Elina with a serious expression. "Come at me seriously. Give me the best you've got."

Those words were what Elina wanted to hear the most. Elina's eyes burned with excitement. In a matter of seconds, she appeared before Netero. She unleashed attacks rapidly, refusing to give Netero time to rest. For every counter Netero performed, Elina returned it beautifully. She kept the distance between them the same and her gaze never left the ball. Her current abilities were completely different from before. They were far more accurate, advanced, and _enhanced_.

After a good hour, Elina abruptly stopped. Netero cocked an eyebrow in confusion. The girl was covered in sweat, huffing and all, but he knew she wasn't tired. "Sorry about this, but I rather not drain myself out. I still have to finish the hunter exam."

Netero nodded in understanding. "You've really improved since the last time I saw you," he complimented.

"From what I witnessed, I think you'll last at max three hours in that state. Your aura definitely became stronger and smoother. I can tell you've trained hard. I didn't expect you to learn how to control it so soon though. I admit I am impressed." Elina beamed contentedly at Netero's praises. "Now, go get some rest."

Elina nodded and stood up. She headed for the exit when Netero spoke up again, "Please send your mother my regards."

Elina halted. "Shouldn't I be saying that?" She looked over her shoulder and replied, "She must've contacted you already. Why don't you send her my regards?"

Netero chortled. "Yes, she did contact me and here's a message from her: 'You're like a bird who escaped into the wild from your cage. I can no longer shelter you if you're not by my side. That said, please take care of yourself. Good luck on the hunter exam and I hope to hear from you soon. P.S. I know you're with Killua.'"

Elina laughed dryly after listening to her mother's message. "Thank you, Netero-san. I have a message for her as well. Tell her: 'I apologize for making you worry. Killua and I won't do anything reckless so please rest assured. I'll definitely pass the hunter exam and contact you afterwards. P.S. Don't tell father I'm with Killua… He won't be pleased and might flip."

Netero smiled wryly. "Alright, I'll tell her that." With that said, Elina left the room. She was walking down the hall when her eye narrowed in alarm. She wiggled her nose and sniffed the air. _This smell… Blood?_

Elina followed the sweet, metallic scent and arrived at a brutal scene. In the middle of the hall lied two applicants. Both were decapitated. Their blood splattered everywhere and more was oozing out from their neck.

"What? You have something to say?" growled the silver-haired boy.

"You bet I do." Elina placed her hands on her hips. "I know you're frustrated with Netero-san, but if you're gonna kill people, can't you kill them before you take a bath? You're dirty again."

 _That's your concern?_ Killua rolled his eyes. "I'll just go take another one."

"You should, but first..." Elina glanced at the two corpse. "Let's dispose those bodies."

Elina gathered the decapitated heads and walked towards the window, placing them on the windowsill. She nitpicked the lock on the window, opened it, and casually threw the heads out. Killua dragged the two bodies and flung them out as well. "What are we going to do about the blood?" he asked.

"Leave it," answered Elina. "It's too much work."

"True." Killua picked up the clean towel he had and threw it at Elina. "Use it. You're covered in sweat."

"And blood," added Elina.

Killua scoffed. "No duh. So, are you going to take a bath as well?" Elina hummed. "Let's go then. The female's bathroom is right next to the male's." Killua led Elina to the bathroom and the two parted from there.

Only two more hours till the third phase. Just how will things unfold?

* * *

Gosh, this chapter this so long (x.x), but thanks for reading.

Wolfkid911 - Thank you so much for the favorite. I hope you enjoyed the chapter.

Until next time~


	6. Trick Tower

Chapter 6

"Wow, we're so high up~" awed Elina as she peered down the side of the tower. "The third exam is to get to the base of the tower _alive_. From this height, I suppose if we climb down we'll die?"

"Yes, that would be suicide," replied Kurapika.

"Then what are we supposed to do?" Leorio inquired. Kurapika shrugged. The blond-haired male surveyed his surrounding and frowned. Noticing his friend's expression, Leorio asked, "What's wrong?"

"There are fewer people around," Kurapika noted.

"What?!"

"I counted 23 which means that half of the applicants have already found an exit," he informed. "That means there must be some hidden doors around here."

The two began the search for hidden doors until Gon called their names. "Kurapika! Leorio! Come here!"

Kurapika and Leorio exchanged confused looks and walked up to Gon, wondering what did he need.

"Look, I found a hidden door." Gon knelt down and gently pushed one of the tiles on the floor, causing it to slightly flip.

Leorio patted the boy on the back. "Nice going, Gon! Let's hurry down. We have less than 72 hours now."

"Wait. There are more doors around here." Gon pointed to four more hidden doors around the area and frowned. "Some could be traps."

"Also, from the looks of it, a door can only be used once. From the size, only one person can fit at a time. In other words, only one person per door. We'll have to split up," concluded Killua. "Gon and I decided that we're each going to choose a door."

Gon nodded with a smile. "No hard feelings if one of us springs a trap."

"I can live with that. Luck is also part of the game," stated Leorio.

"I have no objection as well," agreed Kurapika.

Seconds later, the four had chosen their door and turned to face each other. "Let's go on the count of three," suggested Leorio. Everyone nodded in agreement. They were about to start the countdown when Gon exclaimed, "Wait!" Everyone halted.

"Elina is gone." Gon scanned his surrounding to make sure and informed, "Yup, she's not here."

"She must've found a hidden door already," claimed Kurapika. "We shall meet her at the base."

The countdown then began. "Alright then, 1... 2... 3!" At the count of three, the four males jumped onto their respective hidden door tile and descended into a room. Gon, Killua, and Kurapika landed on their feet, but Leorio landed on his face.

"That was a brief farewell," joked Kurapika. Apparently, all four hidden doors led to the same room. Killua laughed as well. He walked up to a wooden stand where he found five stopwatches that had only two buttons. One button had an 'X' and the other had an 'O'. He then turned to the screen on the wall and read the instructions. "Hmm, seems like we need a 5th person before we can start."

Gon scratched the back of his head, troubled. "If only Elina was here."

Kurapika nodded. "That would've made things easier, but I hope she's safe. It must be dangerous for her to be alone."

Killua hummed softly. "She'll be fine. Don't worry about it. We should worry more about ourselves." He took a seat on the floor and looked up at the ceiling. "I hope someone joins us soon~"

* * *

"Crap. I got separated from Killua and the others…" mumbled Elina as she scratched the back of her head. "Just where exactly am I right now?"

"You've entered the deathmatch route of this exam," answered a voice. The voice came from a speaker that was at the corner of the room. "In order to clear this phase you'll kill your opponents, but first, you'll have to find the exit of this maze," informed the announcer. "Best of luck, girly~"

Elina glared at the speaker. _Who is he calling girly!_

Walking up to the door, she turned the knob and opened it. She took one step out the room and immediately heaved a sigh. The environment outside the room was exactly like a maze. _This is gonna be a pain_.

Elina was greeted by three paths and she chose the middle one. She walked down the middle path and made many turns only to arrive at a dead end. With a blank expression, she stared at the thick, tall wall and clenched her fist. "You know what? There's no rule on how to get out of this maze. If I can't _find_ an exit. I'll _make_ one."

With that said, Elina smashed her fist again the wall and watched in satisfaction as it crumbled. She hopped over the mound of rubbles and continued forward. It didn't take long for Elina to exit the maze. Maybe half an hour was all it took. She did it so effortlessly too. She only walked straight and in order to do so, she smashed down any walls that got in her way. Who would've expect such strength from a little girl like her?

Once Elina reached the exit, she entered an elevator that brought her down to a certain floor. With one foot out the elevator, her lapis pair of eyes met a gun.

"What's this? You're not afraid? Or are you so scared that you froze?" mocked the muscle man who held a gun, aiming right at Elina.

"Yes, I'm very afraid…"

"Of course you are," snorted the man. "Are you stupid? A little girl taking the hunter exam? That's unheard of!" the man laughed hysterically. "Of course, stupid people are always welcome. Won't you die now, girly?"

Elina scoffed. She raised her head and looked into the man's hazel eyes. "I'm only afraid of getting my clothes dirty." In a flash, her left hand grabbed onto the man's right arm and gave him a tight squeeze.

"AGH!" he cried in agony. His grip on the gun loosened and became unstable. Slowly the gun fell out of his grasp. With her right hand, Elina caught the gun and placed her index finger on the trigger. She tossed the man aside with her left hand and watched him bang against the wall.

Next, she pointed the gun at the man and pulled the trigger. "UGH!" The man placed his hand over his right abdominal. He glared the Elina and shouted, "Don't get cocky!"

The moment those words left his mouth, another bullet was fired. It was shots after another. After three shots, Elina walked up to the man covered in blood. "Wow, you're still not dead?"

"Just… Kill me…"

Elina nodded. "Ok." Without hesitation, she placed the gun at his heart and _bang!_ Crimson blood squirted out from his heart causing Elina to jump back. She took a quick look over herself and with a satisfy smiled she said, "Good, my clothes are still clean."

"Well done, girly!" praised the announcer. Elina clicked her tongue. "Wow! I didn't know you had that in you. Good work! Now please re-enter the elevator. More opponents await you."

Elina did what she was told. She stepped back into the elevator and watched the door close. _How sickening. Making a child kill. Well, it's not like I haven't killed before… Nor do I dislike it._

With a _ding_ , the elevator stopped and the door slowly opened. Taking a deep breath, Elina exited.

* * *

The sound of heartbeats echoed in the room. It beated once, twice, for the third time and so on until it finally stopped. Everyone's eyes widened in shock as tension enveloped the air. A silver-haired boy stood in the middle of the arena beside a dead man. He knelt down and returned something, specifically, the man's heart, before walking back to his friends.

"Just who is he...?" inquired Leorio, taking a step back subconsciously. The deathmatch was over in less than a minute. In that short amount of time, cold sweat had already drenched his back.

"Oh right, you don't know," Gon began. "Killua comes from an elite family of assassins."

Leorio froze. " A-An elite family of assassins?!"

* * *

Sweat trickled down the raven-haired female as finished off her opponent. Just how many has she killed? The female had already lost count.

Twelve hours. Only twelve hours had passed since the start of the exam. It only took twelve hours for Elina to change so much. Of course, her appearance was pretty much the same. Her clothes are clean, free from blood. However, her current self was like an emotionless porcelain doll enveloped in darkness.

Elina gazed at the corpse with eyes belonging to someone who has lost their soul. She stepped back into the elevator for the nth time and leaned against the cold steel cage. With a _ding_ , the elevator arrived at its destination. The moment the twelve years old stepped out, she instantly threw a dagger towards the corner of the room.

"Brilliant," spoke a high pitched voice. A brunette stepped out from the shadows with the dagger in their hand. The women discard the dagger and licked her lips. "To be able to detect my location so fast, you must not be an easy target. Oh, but don't worry. I'll end you fast."

Shedding the blade from its sheath, the brunette charged at her opponent. Elina heaved a short sigh before shutting her eyes. She remained still, glued to her spot and waited for the attack.

Crimson red. Metallic yet sweet. Brown locks and green eyes. With a _thud_ , something roundish rolled onto the floor. Just then, a pair of lapis eyes opened slowly. Elina glanced at the object that fell onto the floor. It was the women's head.

She frowned at the sight. _I shouldn't have done that_. She took a deep breath and recomposed herself. _This is what happens when I lose myself to my emotions… Well, she was going to die anyway._

"Congratulation, you've cleared all the obstacles!" cheered the announcer. "Please return to the elevator as it will bring you to the base of the tower. I wish you luck on your next exam."

 _It's about time for this to end_. Without further ado, Elina hurried into the elevator. She took a quick look over herself and nodded in approval. _Good, not a speck of blood anywhere. All that's left is for me to revert back to my usual self…_

* * *

Great news guys! This fanfic has gained new followers and favorites! Yippy!

Many thanks to: TrAfAlGaRlAwSgUrL27, Zoomflash10, Leofrick, LadyxAbsunthe and Claire197!

Wolfkid911: No problem! I'm delighted to hear that you enjoyed the chapter. I hope you enjoy this update as well.


	7. Hunt

Chapter 7

One minute.

Only _one_ minute left…

Resting her head in her knees, Elina shut her eyes. How long has she been waiting for her friends? Forever, maybe? The young girl had arrived at the base a _little_ too early, being the fourth person there. She quickly settled down to rest in hope to revert back to her usual self. Despite Elina's young age and her petite innocent appearance, darkness dwell within her. There was more to her than she shows… Her _other_ self that only a few knows.

Elina raised her head and heaved a tired sigh. Looking to her left, she raised an eyebrow upon noticing Hisoka's subtle smirk. She followed his line of sight to a certain door and muttered, "About time…"

Right on cue, the door opened and was followed up by an announcement. The third phase of the exam has finally ended with a total of 26 passing applicants. Promptly, another door opened and the cool breeze came rushing in.

Most of the applicants cheered with joy and rushed out the base. Killua's group, being the last ones to arrive, were confused at first. Killua scanned the nearly empty base and spotted Elina in the corner. He began walking towards her but came to a sudden halt. _Something's not right…_

He narrowed his eyes and observed the female from a distance as he pondered. _With the character she set for herself, isn't she supposed to act all cheerful and "_ normal" _? Did she abandon that role or-_

"Elina!" An enthusiastic shout interrupted Killua's train of thought. Gon, followed by Kurapika and Leorio, ran up to the raven-haired girl and cried in relief. "Thank goodness! You've also passed!"

Elina greeted her friends with a sweet smile. Although she has yet reverted back to her usual self, pulling off a smile was a piece of cake.

"We were worried about you," stated Kurapika. Elina laughed sheepishly.

"See, I told you she was fine. Now let's stop chit chatting and onto the next phase already." Killua pointed at the exit.

Without further ado, Gon dashed for the exit with Leorio and Kurapika. As for Tonpa, he left a long time ago. Being the only two left, Killua offered out his hand to Elina who disregard his kindness and stood up on her own. He stared at his extended hand and withdrew it.

"Sorry…" Elina muttered.

Killua heaved a sigh. "I don't know what triggered you into this state but I won't ask about it. I'll keep Gon and the others occupied so you can have some time alone too."

"Thanks…"

Killua hummed softly and turned his back at her. "Come to me when you feel better. I'll always be there for you so it's alright to take your time." With that said, he exited the base and left Elina behind.

* * *

"...No way, she was the fourth person to arrive at the base?" Leorio's eyes widened in shock as he watched Elina fade into the forest. After learning the fact that Killua came from an elite family of assassins, he couldn't help but wonder about Elina. After all, those two knew each other before the hunter exam. She seems like a pretty normal girl, but man, he was wrong. For her to arrive fourth, she's nowhere near _normal_.

The fourth phase of the exam took place on Zevil Island and the requirements to pass were to gather six points. One's own ID tag was worth three points, their target's ID tag was also three points, and any other ID tags were worth one point. Everyone must stay on the island for a week before returning to the boat with six points on the final day. Currently, applicants are disembarking the boat in the order by which they cleared the third phase.

"For her to take the hunter exam at the minimum age, she must be very confident that she can pass," deduced Kurapika. "We must not underestimate her."

Killua hummed. "Yeah, you shouldn't. If you were to underestimate her, the one who'll end up suffering is _you_."

Upon Killua's words, a chill ran down Leorio's spine. "Anyway, enough talk about her. Let's get ready for the exam. It's almost our turn to enter." Killua faced the forest and frowned. _I wonder if she'll be alright._

* * *

The water moved gently around her fingers, supplying them with a cool, refreshing sensation. Using both her hands, Elina scooped up some water and splashed it over her face. "That feels nice," she mumbled as she stood up to scan the area.

Elina looked to her left and then to her right. She made a 360-degree turn before nodding in approval. After confirming that _no one_ was in the area, she finally removed her clothes. She took a dip in the water and immediately started washing her long black hair. Only in times like these, Elina wished she had short hair.

Once that was done, Elina shut her eyes and relaxed under the sun, listening to the melody played by mother nature. After a few minutes, she reopened her eyes and got out the water. It didn't take her long to change back into her clothes. She wore a white spaghetti strap bra tank top with a black off the shoulder shirt and blue shorts.

It was a quick wash. Elina didn't want anyone to see her naked. Even if she's young, barely developed, she's still a girl. Her parents had always warned her to be wary of men and want her to remain pure _forever_ (more specifically her father).

After putting on her clothes, Elina set off looking for her target. Leaving the river bank she headed deeper into the forest and climbed up the tallest tree she could find. The view there was marvelous. The glimmering ocean, the clear blue sky, the greenery, and the gentle breeze. It was like she's on a vacation, but sadly, she wasn't.

"Ugh, searching for someone on an island this size is such a pain," she grumbled, seating herself on a branch.

"I know right. That's why let's explore the island as we search for our targets," suggested a familiar voice.

Elina looked up at her uninvited guest. "Was there really a need for you to mask your presence?"

The silver-haired boy laughed. "Nah. I just wanna to scare you, but that didn't work."

"Of course not."

Killua's eyes soften as he watched Elina chuckled warmly. He opened his mouth and whispered, "...Welcome back." It was barely audible even for female beside him.

"Hm? Did you say something?" Elina tilted her head.

"Nope, nothing." Killua looked down at Elina with a smile and noticed something different. Elina's raven locks were slightly damp and droplets of water trickled down her neck, down her collarbone. "...Did you take a bath?"

"Yeah, I guess you can say that. Is something wrong?"

Killua shook his head helplessly. "No, nevermind." He heaved a sigh and extended out his hand to the female. Smiling, Elina accepted his hand and allowed him to pull her up. The two then descended from the tree and began their exploration.

"Who's your target?" Elina inquired shortly.

"Number 199."

"What a coincident, mine's number 198."

"I'm not surprised for some reason."

"...Yeah, me too."

The two exchanged knowing glances before bursting into laughter. "Tell me what you know about them," ordered Killua. "Show off that photographic memory of yours."

"For free? You wish." Elina stuck out her tongue at the boy. "Besides, I don't have a photographic memory."

Killua shrugged. "Close enough. After all, you've developed the capability to remember things much better than normal people. Let's just call it photographic memory.

"But it's not."

"Don't sweat about the details."

Elina rolled her eyes. "Whatever you say." She cleared her throat and began her explanation. "Number 197, 198, and 199 are the Amori brothers. My target is the timidest one, the scrawny looking one in blue. Yours is one of the other two. Well, it'll be fine as long as we find one of the brothers since they're most likely together."

Killua nodded in understanding and smirked. "Alright then, let's do this. I've been aching to _play_."

* * *

Killua smirked at the ID tag in his hand and threw it at Elina. The female caught it with ease and beamed. "Number 198, thanks!"

"No problem." With that said, Killua returned his attention to the Amori brothers.

Four days have passed since the start of the fourth phase. Killua and Elina finally found the Amori brothers after splitting up on the third day. Apparently, number 198, Imori, was targeting Killua who caught him stalking this morning. Killua led Imori to Elina where the two youngsters confronted him. By luck, Amori and Umori came to help when his ID tag got stolen. Currently, the Amori brothers are having a face-off against Killua while _others_ watch on the sideline.

The Amori brothers got into a triangular formation and began to close in on Killua who disappeared right before their eyes. Seconds later, Killua appeared behind Amori. He grabbed Amori by the shoulder and took him hostage. "Don't move. My nails are sharper than knives."

Out of fear, Amori obeyed. Killua then dug his hand into Amori's pocket. "Number 197…" He frowned and threw the ID tag at Elina before turning to Umori. "You must be number 199, right?" He held out his hand, "Hand it over."

Umori clenched his teeth and tossed his ID tag at Killua. Throwing Amori aside, Killua caught the tag and grinned. "Thanks."

When the exchange was finished, Elina walked up to her partner. "Here," she said, handing him an ID tag.

Killua smirked inwardly. "This one is useless." With that said, he chucked the tag and departed with Elina. Shorty, the two arrived at a clearing where Killua dissolved into laughter. "Poor guy, chasing after an ID tag that's only worth one point. You've gotten more mischievous, haven't you?"

Elina scoffed. "Not as mischievous as you."

"That's true."

"It's his fault for underestimating us. I bet he thought we didn't notice him," she stated.

"He's good though," Killua noted, plopping onto the grass. "Anyway, how did you get that tag?"

"That belonged to the person who was targeting me. I encountered him after we split up," answered Elina. She reached for her pocket and took out tag number 197. "Now then, what should we do with this?"

Killua shrugged. "Let's bury it here," he suggested.

And so, the two dug a hole and buried the tag. May it rest in peace.

* * *

*Sigh… Finding a target for Elina was so hard… I had to check who's targeting who and how they passed the fourth exam. Imori, number 198, was the only one who didn't have someone hunting him (at least not that I know of). Now that's over with, I hope you all enjoyed!

Many thanks to: Child-of-Strength, Elisablackcat, Happywheal, Yuii Nightshadow, and GodzNo!

Caliope07: Aw, thank you! That's so nice of you to say!

Elisablackcat: Yes, please look forward to it!

Thanks for the reviews! I enjoyed reading them very much ^-^


	8. Final Phase

Chapter 8

"...Do I really have to answer?"

Netero nodded. "I would like to hear it from your mouth."

Elina heaved a tired sigh. "Well, I want to become a hunter because my parents are hunters, having a hunter license is beneficial, and I thought that the taking the exam would be fun."

"Ok, next question. Which of the other nine applicants are you keeping an eye on?"

"Number 99 and 405," she answered immediately. "They're my age and they're very interesting!"

"Alright, last question. Which of the other nine applicants would you least like to fight?"

"Honestly, I have a lot," answered Elina. "I wouldn't want to fight number 99, 403, 404, and 405 because they're my friends. I also wouldn't want to fight number 44. He's a creep."

Netero chuckled at her last few words. "Is that so. Alright then, you're excused."

Elina thanked Netero as she stood up. She bowed curtly and excused herself. Existing the reception room, she spotted Killua leaning against the wall. "You waited for me?"

"No, I was just passing by," replied the male.

Elina giggled at his dishonesty. "Sure, you were~" she teased. She grabbed Killua by the hand and gave it a tight squeeze. "One more phase to go. We can do this."

"Yeah." Killua nodded in determination and returned the squeeze. "Let's do this."

* * *

"This is the final phase of the exam," announced Netero as he displayed the tournament bracket to the nine applicants. "It will be a one on one battle. The winners are removed from the competition while the losers continue up the bracket. In other words, the last one left will not pass, thus, only one person will fail. Any questions?"

No one had any questions so Netero continued, "The battle rules are simple. Weapons are allowed. No cheating. If your opponent admits defeat, you win. However, if you kill your opponent, you will be immediately disqualified! All remaining applicants will pass and the exam will end."

After finishing his explanation, Netero and the other examiners moved to the side, allowing the applicants to get a closer look at the tournament bracket. The order from left to right was: Hanzo, Gon, Pokkle, Gittarackur, Elina, Killua, Bodoro, Kurapika, Hisoka and finally Leorio.

 _So my opponent is either Pokkle or Gittarackur. Pokkle doesn't seem like a threat but Gittarackur is a different story._ Elina narrowed her eye and frowned. _What kind of opponent will he be? I have a bad feeling_ …

"Now that everyone got a better look of the bracket, the final phase will now begin. The first match is Hanzo v.s Gon," announced the referee. "Please step forward."

Gon and Hanzo stepped forward and stood in the center of the room. "My name is Masta," introduced the referee.

"It's good to see you again!" greeted Hanzo. "You were the one tailing me during the fourth phase. I assume that each applicant was assigned an examiner. I'm sure everyone else noticed."

Gon sweatdropped. _I didn't_.

"I obviously noticed," stated Killua.

Elina nodded. "Yeah, me too. Luckily, my examiner was a female."

"I thought it wasn't worth mentioning," claimed Kurapika.

"Oh yeah, I have a question," voiced Hanzo. "We only win if our opponent surrenders, correct? It doesn't count if we knock them unconscious. No TKO allowed, either."

"Yes, that is correct," confirmed Masta. Hanzo hummed in understanding. "Alright then, I wish you two the best of luck. The match begins!"

Without delay, both applicants got into actions. Hanzo clearly had the upper hand in this match. He was faster in speed, stronger in strength, and more experienced in combat. Despite all this, Gon refused to admit defeat. This brutal match went on for three hours. With a broken left arm and numerous bruises, Gon wobbled onto his feet only to get shot down again.

Wincing, Elina looked away. Ever since she was born, she was exposed to scenes much bloodier and crueler than this. However, those moments never affected her much. This time, things were different. Her heart ached as she watched Gon suffer as rage slowly stir within her. Elina knew better. If she continued watching, the reason for Gon's disqualification will be no one but her _other_ self.

"I'm a descendant from the shinobi, a clan of covert agents," spoke Hanzo out of nowhere. "From the day I was born, I was forced to endure harsh training and at the age of eleven, I had already killed a man."

"So?" mumbled Killua and Elina. The two were not impressed. To them, killing someone at that age was simply child's play.

"You can't win against me," claimed Hanzo. "Admit defea-!" Before Hanzo could finish, he was sent flying. During his long boring talk, Gon managed to muster up some energy to perform a sidekick while his guard was down.

Blood dripped from Hanzo;'s nose, causing the ninja to wiped off the blood with his hand before pulling out a hidden blade, threatening to cut off Gon's legs.

"You can't do that!" Gon shouted. "I don't want my legs to be cut off but I also don't want to surrender. That's why let's find a different way to fight!"

Facing Gon's naiveness, Hanzo snapped. "DO YOU EVEN UNDERSTAND YOUR OWN SITUATION?!"

"I do," replied Gon. "You see, if you cut off my legs, I'll bleed to death. If that happens, you'll be disqualified."

Gon's reasoning brought laughter to the room. The applicants and examiners all chuckled. The tension in the air for the past three hours has finally lifted. Gon talked about finding his father and how if he surrenders now, he'll never find him. Noticing the undying resolve in Gon's brown eyes, Hanzo wavered and reluctantly surrendered. Gon's unyielding determination led him to victory.

Unfortunately, Gon was not satisfied by how he won, thus, Hanzo knocked him out to shut him up. Gon was then carried out of the room and was put to bed to rest. Shortly, the second match began. It was a battle between Kurapika and Hisoka. Their match didn't even last 10 minutes. It ended in little to no injuries with Hisoka admitting defeat.

The third match pit Hanzo against Pokkle and Hanzo won. The fourth match, Hisoka v.s Bodoro, was pretty one-sided. Bodoro refused to give up until Hisoka whispered something into his ear. The fifth match ended faster than the second. Gittarackur instantly surrendered so Pokkle won.

As for the sixth match, it was postponed. Leorio was up against the injured Bodoro. He requested for the match to be postponed until Bodoro recovers, thus the seventh match started.

"Good luck," whispered Killua. Elina flashed him a smile and nodded. She stepped forward and so did her opponent. Given the signal, the match began.

Elina was the first to act. She sprinted straight at Gittarackur, closing the distance between them in an instance. Next, she landed a punch on his face, followed up by roundhouse kick that aimed for the same spot.

Before her right foot could make contact, Gittarackur used his left hand and grabbed onto Elina's foot, stopping her movements. Nevertheless, the raven-haired female used her other foot and performed a front kick, landing a blow on his chin. In that split second, Gittarackur loosened his grip. It was that opening that allowed Elina to free herself from his grasp.

 _How can he move like a normal human being in combat when he usually moves like a robot?! Furthermore, I have no idea on how to make him surrender._ Elina clicked her tongue in annoyance and jumped back. "Hey," she called. "How can I make you admit defeat?"

…

The room went silent. Everyone was dumbfounded by her question.

"Elina, why would you even ask that question? Only idiots will reply!" yelled Leorio on the sideline.

"If you dash right at me with the intent of killing me I'll admit defeat."

…

The room went silent again. Elina faced Leorio. "He replied. Does that mean he's an idiot?"

An irk mark appeared on Leorio's forehead. "Yes, he's an idiot… You're _BOTH_ idiots!"

 _If I'm an idiot, then what are you?_ Elina huffed indignantly and ignored Leorio. She returned her attention on Gittarackur and frowned. _Dash right at him? Is this a trap? Furthermore, with killing intent?_

Elina scratched the back of her head. _Oh well, I guess trying it out wouldn't hurt. I don't mind losing either. Fighting Killua is not a bad idea._ With that decision in mind, Elina took a deep breath and narrowed her eyes. Her gaze became icy cold. Not a speck of light could be seen. Only darkness remained. In a blink of an eye, she appeared before Gittarackur with a frontal attack or so it seems. At a speed faster than one's eyes can follow, Elina materialized from behind. Using only a fraction of a second, she adjusted the anatomy of her hand. Her fingernails instantly grew longer, thinner, and sharper. As if her hand was a claw of a wild beast, Elina aimed for Gittarackur's heart.

"I admit defeat."

"!" At Gittarackur's sudden concession, Elina's pupil dilated. Her killing intent dispersed instantly as if it was never there and her movements halted. The abrupt halt strained the female's muscles and delayed her reaction time. Before she realized what happened, darkness fell upon her.

With a _thud_ , Ellina collapsed onto the floor. The second Elina stopped her attack, she received a neck chop from Gittarackur. To knock someone out with a single chop was not an easy feat. A chop on the neck, at most, can cause pain, paralyze the opponent, and delayed reaction time. Although unnoticed by the applicants, Gittarackur used a lot of power in that one blow. Of course, no one saw it with their bare eyes, unless they're _pro_ hunters.

With Elina knocked out, Killua glared at Gittarackur. The silver-haired was about say something but Leorio beat him to it. "What was that for!" he yelled, pointing accusingly at Gittarackur. "You admitted defeat and she stopped her attack! Why did you knock her out!?"

"Because she'll only get in my way," was Gittarackur's answer. The referee announced Elina as the winner and had her rest in another room until her consciousness returns.

Next up was the eighth match, Gittarackur v.s Killua. The sixth match, Bodoro v.s Leorio will be held after this. Killua stepped forward and glowered at his opponent. Gittarackur returned his glare with an emotionless smile. When the match started, Gittarackur was the first to move by removing the needles on his face. Once the needles were removed, his face distorted and deformed.

Killua couldn't believe his eyes. "...Brother."

Standing right before Killua was his older brother, Illium. Illumi wore an expressionless face as he looked down at Killua. "Hey," he greeted nonchalantly. "I heard that you cut up mom and Milluki."

Killua forced a smile. "...I guess you can say that."

"She was crying..." continued Illumi.

"Well yeah, any mother will cry if their son did that to them," mumbled Leorio.

"Tears of joy."

…

"She was happy to see that you've grown up. However, she's still worry about you leaving home so she had me check up on you. What a coincidence. I didn't know you wanted to become a hunter."

"...No," mumbled Killua, avoiding Illumi's gaze. "It's not like I really want to become a hunter. I just felt like taking the exam."

"I see… That's a relief," began Illumi. "You're not cut out to be a hunter. You were born to be a _killer_."

Killua tensed at Illumi's words. His pupil slowly dilated as Illumi continued, "You're just a puppet, passionless with no desires. As someone who lives in the shadows, you can only feel pleasure when bringing death to others. That's how dad and I taught you."

 _Stop!_ Killua screamed inwardly.

"What do you expect from becoming a hunter?"

Killua bit his lips and mustered up the courage to reply. "You're right, I don't desire to become a hunter, but… I too have something I want..."

"You don't."

"I do!" Killua clenched his fist and raised his head, looking into Illumi's empty black eyes."There are things that I really want!"

"What is it then?"

Killua went silent. He opened his mouth to speak, but no words came out.

"See," scoffed Illumi. "There's nothing."

"That's not it!" shouted Killua. "I want Elina and I to always play together."

"That's impossible," Illumi stated immediately. "Afterall, she's _my_ fiance."

" _Former_ fiance," corrected Killua. "The engagement between you two is already canceled. Both families agreed to it."

"Do you really think that way? In order to maintain the relationship between our family and hers, our engagement is necessary. It may be cancelled for now, but that doesn't guarantee the future."

Killua went silent again.

"Is that all you want?"

"No!" barked Killua. "I… I want to become friend with Gon and Elina. I want to have fun with them and live a normal life. I want to be normal… I want to be free…"

"You can _never_ be free Killua. You _and_ Elina. People like us can never be normal. But unlike Elina, you'll never be able to make friends," taunted Illumi. "Your only concern when you meet someone is whether you should kill them or not. Right now, you just don't know how to classify Gon because he's too dazzling. You actually don't want to become friends with him. Elina too, she can't be your friend. She can only be your partner and nothing else. If you stay with Gon, one day, you'll end up wanting to kill him. As for Elina, you'll get sick of her and will eventually discard her. Afterall, you do have a soul of a natural born killer. "

 _You're wrong… I don't… I won't do such a thing!_ The tension between the two brothers intensified and the room became freezing cold.

Leorio clicked his tongue and stepped forward. "Hey, Killua! I don't give a damn that he's your brother but to me, he's a worthless piece of crap! Just beat him up already!" roared Leorio. "How can you let him say such a thing about Elina. She was always by your side, how can she not see you as a friend! You want to become friends with Gon? Are you stupid!? You two are already friends!"

"Really?" inquired Illumi, looking in Leorio's direction.

"H*ll yeah!" barked Leorio.

Illumi frowned at sudden news, "That's no good," he mumbled. Suddenly, a light bulb went over his head. "Alright then, I guess I'll have to kill Gon. Unfortunately, I can't kill Elina, but I do know a way to separate her from Killua. Afterall, a killer doesn't need any friend."

Killua's blood ran cold. Cold sweat drenched his back and his face went pale. Illumi pulled out three needles and threw it at the referee. The referee's face began to bulge. "Where is Gon?" Illumi demanded.

"In the first waiting room," cried the man who collapsed onto his knees.

"Thank you." Illumi headed straight for the door only to find Leorio, Kurapika, and Hanzo blocking it. Illumi frowned once again. "This won't do. I really need a hunter license for my next job. If I kill them here I'll be disqualified and Killua will automatically pass. The same thing will happen if I kill Gon."

Once again, another light bulb went over Illumi's head. He turned to Netero. "If I pass the exam and then kill Gon, I can still keep my hunter license, right?"

Netero nodded and replied with a "Yes."

Illumi then turned away from the door and headed for his younger brother "You heard that, Killua? What will you do? Will you fight me for your _friend's_ sake?"

Illumi answered the question himself. "No, you can't. Afterall, you're more worried about whether or not you can defeat me."

Killua's breath hitched rapidly. "' _Never fight an enemy you can't beat.'_ I was the one who drilled that into you." With that said, Illumi stood before Killua and looked down at the boy. He raised his left hand and slowly reached forward for Killua's head. Staring at Illumi's incoming hand, Killua felt himself moving back.

"Don't move."

Killua froze.

"If you move an inch, I'll assume that the fight has begun. At the same time, if our bodies make contact, it'll mean the same time," warned Illumi. "Now then, what will you do Killua? Are you gonna fight me? If you don't fight me, your dear Gon will die and your precious Elina will be taken away."

And so, with only a few centimeters between his head and Illumi's hand, Killua's mind went blank. Now, with only a millimeter between the two, Killua opened his mouth. " It's my lost..."

The moment those words came out of Killua's mouth, Illumi smiled. It was a ghost of a smile. Illumi let out a laugh and clapped his hands "Yay, now the battle is over. Also, sorry Killua, I was lying about killing Gon and taking away Elina. It was just a little test, but now I have my answer." Illumi patted Killua on the shoulder and leaned down to whisper, "You don't have the right to make friends nor do you need them. You should just listen to dad and I and do your jobs as you always have. Moreover, I'm serious about my relationship with Elina. Only _I_ can utilize her best."

With that said, Illumi returned to the sideline and shortly, Killua did the same. The silver-haired boy slumped down against the wall and hid his head between his knees. Kurapika and Leorio hurried over and tried to comfort the boy, but no words got through.

"I see… So he meant this," muttered Kurapika. Leorio turned to the blond with a confused expression.

"'She'll only get in my way' was what he said. The reason Illumi knocked Elina out was because of this. Unlike us, Elina might've been able to comfort Killua," explained Kurapika.

Leorio bit his lip. "That brother of his is a complete b*stard. He makes me sick."

The two glanced back at Killua and downcasted their eyes in sadness for not being able to comfort him. Moments later, the sixth match between Leorio and Bodoro began. Everything was going normally at first until _that_ happened.

And so, with blood dripping from his hand, Killua was disqualified.

* * *

Longest chapter yet!

Thank you: Eclaird, Hime2700Tsuna, Vkchire and Tonami-chan

Tonami-chan: Those three words brought me so much joy! Thanks for reviewing and please review again~


	9. Kukuroo Mountain

Chapter 9

"Apologize to Killua." Those were Gon's very first words to Illumi. After hearing what happened once he fell unconscious, Gon couldn't stay still and immediately went to confront Illumi.

Gon was angry. Illumi had tramped on Killua's desire to become friends with him and Elina, abandoning the assassin in despair. Gon couldn't forgive Illumi for doing that. He was _very_ angry.

Illumi turned to face Gon. "Apologize? For what?"

"You don't even know what you did wrong?"

"I don't."

"You have no right to be Killua's brother," Gon growled, furrowing his eyebrows.

Illumi shrugged. "Do I even need the right to be his brother?"

Suddenly, Gon seized Illumi's left wrist with his right hand and threw the man off the chair. Of course, Illumi landed on his feet. Glaring at Illumi, Gon bellowed, "Killua doesn't need to have the right to be friends with anyone!"

With that said, Gon exerted more force on Illumi's wrist. "You know what, don't bother apologizing anymore. Instead, just take me to where Killua is."

"And what will you do then?"

"That should be obvious! I'm gonna rescue him!"

Illumi scoffed. "You make it sound as though I kidnapped him or something. Killua walked away on his own."

"But it wasn't by choice. He was manipulated by you. That's the same thing as kidnapping!" hissed Gon.

Before the conversation could escalate into a fight, Netero stopped the two. He walked up to them and turned to Gon. "We were just discussing about that."

The next 20 minutes was dedicated to talks regarding the fairness of Killua's disqualification. Kurapika and Leorio both lodged reasons why Killua shouldn't be disqualified and how his actions after the battle with Illumi was abnormally strange. The idea of Killua was hypnotized into killing Bodoro was brought up, but rejected by Netero because there was no proof. In the end, an argument broke out among the passing applicants.

"None of that matter!" hollered Gon. Immediately, the room went silent.

"It's pointless to argue about whether someone should've passed or not," said Gon. "If Killua retakes the hunter exam, he'll definitely pass. It's unfortunate that he failed this time, but it is what it is. What actually matters is…" Gon glared at Illumi. "If you've been forcing Killua to kill, against his will, all this time, I'll definitely make you pay!"

"Make me pay? What exactly will you do?" Illumi inquired nonchalantly.

"I won't do anything," stated Gon. "Once I rescue Killua, I'll _never_ let you guys meet!" Once that was declared, Gon released his grip on Illumi's wrist. It was only till then that he noticed Illumi's left cheek was swelling, in the process of becoming a bruise. _Where did that come from_?

A cough from Netero captured Gon's attention. He turned to the chairman who now stood in front of a podium. "Everyone, please seat yourself. The hunter license will now be passed out."

With that said, the hunter license was passed out. Once all the passing applicants received a hunter licence they were dismissed.

The moment Gon exit the conference room, he rushed up to Illumi. "Tell me where Killua is," he demanded.

Illumi heaved a sigh. "Are you really going to take him away? I think that's a bad idea."

 _I don't care about what you think!_ "Killua is my friend! I _will_ be taking him with me."

"And so, do they feel the same way?" Illumi pointed at the people behind Gon. It was Leorio and Kurapika.

"Of course!" barked Leorio.

"Is that so?" Illumi then shrugged. "I doubt you'll reach the place but I'll tell you anyway. Killua went home. It's called Kukuroo Mountain. Our family lives at the very top."

Gon nodded. "Got it." And so, after obtaining the information needed to find Killua, Gon and his friends left straightaway to pack up their things.

"Is it really ok for an assassin to give away their hideout?" asked a voice from behind.

Illumi turned to see Hisoka. "Sure, it's not like it's a secret or anything. The locals all know where the Zoldyck lives. Though once they arrive, I hope they'll come to understand that we live in completely different worlds."

"I see," mused Hisoka. "By the way, that wound of yours." The magician pointed at Illumi's injured arm.

"This?" Illumi raised his left arm. "Yup, my wrist is broken. Not to mention how much my right cheek hurts. She slapped me pretty hard."

Hisoka smirked. "You totally deserved that."

"Anyhow, that boy has great potential. I can understand why you want to see him grow," noted Illumi. _But that makes him all the more dangerous. Now would be the best chance to-_

Before Illumi could finish his thought, he sighed. "I know, I know. Gon is your prey. Though I've only known you for a short while, I know your taste pretty well so stop with the bloodlust."

Hisoka chuckled at Illumi's remark. Not wanting to stay with the creepy magician for any longer, Illumi walked away.

* * *

"Killua…" Gon muttered, staring blankly at the supposingly beautiful night view. Currently, Gon and his companions were on an airship that's headed for the Dentora region of the Republic of Padokea, the place where Kukuroo Mountain is located.

"Gon, you should really stop with that long face. We'll be in the Republic of Padokea by morning so you'll see Killua soon enough," stated Leorio with a sigh.

"Ah, sorry," Gon said, rubbing the back of his head sheepishly.

Kurapika wore a bitter smile. "It'll be fine. We'll definitely rescue Killua."

Gon returned his smile. "Yeah, let's do this!" He extended his hand for some french fries and shortly, began stuffing his face with food. Leorio and Kurapika laughed at the sight. "Oh yeah, that bruise on Illumi's cheek, was that perhaps done with Elina?" Gon inquired a moment later.

Kurapika nodded. "Yes. She was fairly upset about Killua's disqualification. Without a word, she slapped Illumi across the face before she took her hunter license and stormed out the room."

"That slap must've hurt. The sound was loud and clear…" Leorio shivered at the remembrance. "It took me by surprise to see her do such a thing. Then again, I can't believe Elina was engaged to that jerk."

Kurapika nodded. "Based on Killua's and Illumi's conversation, I'm confident to say that Elina must've come from an elite background. One that's not any inferior to the Zoldyck."

"Who would've thought…" muttered Leorio.

Gon placed down his can of soda and gazed out the window. "...I wonder where she went."

"Don't worry. If it's her, she must've gone to find Killua just like us," said Kurapika.

Gon nodded, still gazing out the window. "Yeah... I sure hope that's the case."

The next morning, Gon and his friends deboarded the airship and took a tour bus to arrive at Kukuroo Mountain. Once they arrive, they got off the bus. "This is the main gate of the Zoldyck estate. It is also known as the Door to Hades," stated the female guide.

Gon stared at the massive gate in awe. "Can we enter?" he asked.

The guide shook her head. "Due to the fact that the area beyond the gate is private property we can not proceed any further. To enter, you must pass through the front door beside the security checkpoint."

"Hold on!" exclaimed Leorio. "This is the main gate? But the mountain is all the way over there!" Leorio pointed at the faraway Kukuroo Mountain.

"Yes, that is correct. The Zoldycks family own Kukuroo Mountain as well as the surrounding land," replied the guide.

Leorio's jaw dropped. "So basically this whole area is their backyard?" He shook his head in disbelief. "D*mn rich people."

"Hey, move out the way," ordered a gruff voice. Leorio turned around to see two men, a tall blond and a short brunette. Both of them were armed with weapons and does not look like they're here to enjoy the scenery. Leorio moved out of their way and watched the two men walked up to the security checkpoint. Suddenly, the two men began to threaten the old security guard for the key to the door beside the checkpoint. With no choice, the key was given to them.

Smirking, the blond man threw the security guard aside as his partner opened the door. After they entered, Gon rushed over to the security guard to help the old man up. Promptly, a piercing cry came from inside the door, alarming everyone on the outside.

Seconds later, the door creaked open and two skeletons were tossed out. This caused a huge uproar. The female guide screeched and dashed back onto the tour bus with the other tourists, leaving Gon and his friends behind.

"I see, so you guys are Killua's friends. I'm happy to hear that," said the Zebro, the security guard, as he served tea to his three guests. "I've worked here for 20 years but this is the first time a friend of Killua's, someone besides Lady Elina, have come to visit. I'm thankful that you guys visited but I can't let you guys in."

"Why!?" Gon asked immediately.

"You all saw that large arm, right? That arm belongs to a creature named Mike. He's the watchdog of the Zoldyck family. He only obeys the family and will attack anyone else. Even now, he's still carrying out the order his master gave him ten years ago: to kill every single intruder. I can't allow myself to let Killua's friends die."

Gon bit his lips and looked down in disappointment. A moment later, Kurapika spoke up. "Sir, why are you safe? You go inside, correct? If you never needed to enter, you wouldn't have a key."

Zebro took a sip of his tea and laughed. "How perceptive of you. However, you're only half right. I do not need the key to get inside. The key is only for intruders."

"Only for intruders?" Leorio repeated, confused.

"Yes. For some reason, 80 to 90% of the intruders attempt to break down the front door if they can't open it so we added a lock. With that, the intruders will take the key from the helpless guard, enter the door, and then Mike eats them up," explained Zebro.

Kurapika frowned. _They added a lock for that purpose? Why?_ Suddenly, something clicked in his head. "I see! You're not a guard. You merely clean up after Mike and the actual main gate isn't locked!"

Zebro nodded. With that said, the four exited the checkpoint and walked up to the main gate. Leorio tried opening the gate by pushing it will all his might but failed. "It won't budge at all! Are you sure it isn't locked?" fumed Leorio.

"You're just not strong enough. This gate's official name is the Testing Gate. Anyone who can't open this gate is simply unqualified to enter the Zoldyck estate." Zebro walked up to the gate and flexed his muscles before pushing open the doors, shocking the three hunters. Seconds later, the door closed automatically. "If you manage to enter through the Testing Gate, Mike won't attack you since he was ordered not to. By the way, the first door weighs two tons."

Leorio raised an eyebrow. "Wait, what did you say? First door?"

Zebro nodded. "Look at it yourself. See? The Testing Gate consists of seven doors." Gon and his friends scanned the Testing Gate closely. Zebro was right. There were seven doors and each door had their respective number carved into it. "Oh, I should also mention that when you go up a door, the weight doubles."

"Doubles?!" Leorio's jaw dropped.

"The number of doors that open depends on the amount of strength you use. Incidentally, when Killua returned, he opened up through the third door."

"The third door? That would be twelve tons!" declared Gon.

"It's sixteen tons, Gon," Kurapika corrected. Gon scratched the back of his head sheepishly.

"By the way, just recently, Lady Elina came and she also managed to open up to the third door. The last time she visited, which was a few years back, she could barely open the second door."

Gon's eyes widened. "Wait! So Elina is here?"

Zebro shook his head. "Sadly, she left the day she came. She did say she'll she back as soon as possible."

"I see…" Gon frowned and looked back at the Testing Gate. "Zebro-san, please lend me the intruder key. I can here to meet my friend, not to be tested. Even if you don't give me it, I'll do whatever it takes to get inside."

Upon hearing this, Leorio frowned. "Don't be reckless, Gon. Didn't you see that monster's arm? It was bigger than your entire body!" His commented was ignored. "Please lend the key to me."

Zebro heaved a tired sigh. "Unfortunately, I really can't lend you the key. You will die. But since you won't listen to whatever I say, please a moment." Zebro returned to the security checkpoint and contacted the mansion. Over the phone, he explained the situation to a butler and got scolded.

Immediately, Gon rushed back to the Testing Gate and took out his fishing rod. He attempted to climb over the gate but stopped when Zebro agreed to give him the key. However, it came with a condition. Zebro will enter as well. Gon didn't want to drag Zebro into trouble so he reluctantly gave up on using the key. Zebro smiled at Gon's kindness. "Gon-kun, you must like animals, right?"

Gon nodded. "I see. Well then, I'll open the Testing Gate once more. I would like you to see Mike for yourself." Hence, Zebro opened the Testing Gate again and the four hurried in. Once they entered, Zebro called for Mike.

Promptly, an enormous tyrian purple hound stomped into the clearing. Instantly, the three hunters froze. Gon's pupil dilated as cold sweat trickled down his chin. "Gon-kun, do you understand now? Mike is a trained hunting dog. It's nothing like the wild animals you're accustomed to. You must've thought that you can communicate with him until you saw his eyes. Mike is currently memorizing the appearances and scents of the humans he's never met. Nothing else is on his mind. He's just like a machine." Zebro glanced at Gon. "Do you wish to fight him?"

Gon shook his head frantically."No! I'm scared! I definitely don't want to fight it!"

Zebro broke into a smile again. _Such an honest boy_. "Well then, how long will you guys be staying here?"

"Until we meet Killua." Gon declared. "Until that happens, we'll never leave!"

"Is that so. Follow me then."

Gon and his friends exchanged confused glances before following Zebro. The four walked deeper into the forest, leaving Mike behind. Darkness has already engulfed the sky. The moon replaced the sun and the stars began to shine. After Gon's encounter with the Testing Gate and Mike, he finally came to term that he and Killua live in completely different worlds. Nevertheless, Gon promised himself: no matter what difficulties awaited for him, he would definitely meet Killua and rescue him.

 _Wait for me, Killua. I'm coming for you._

* * *

Thank you: Auguste the Clown, Edges05, FoxWithTwoTails, HarumiMisaki, Nallumi, Durankat001, and Mydarkcollection!

Review please~ How do you guys like it so far?


	10. Reunion

Chapter 10

In a dim, isolated chamber, stood a silver-haired assassin. Bound by chains and shackles, covered in blood and injuries, the boy appeared to be lifeless.

"Kil, have you learned your lesson yet?" asked a woman in bandages. She wore a fancy hat, a purple gown, and had an electronic visor covering her eyes. This woman was Kikyo, the mother of the Zoldyck siblings.

"It's no use, Mama. He isn't sorry at all," answered a chubby teen. He was Milluki, the second son of Kikyo with Illumi being the first. "We've gotta make him suffer more."

"Shut your mouth, Milluki!" Kikyo glared at her second son before turning to her third. "Kil," she called out gently. "Stop being stubborn and just say that you're sorry."

The silver-haired assassin ignored his mother and remained silent.

Milluki frowned. "Oh, right, Killua. Did you know that your friend is here? Gon, was it? Apparently, he's trying out the Testing-"

"Milluki!" interrupted his mother. "You're talking way too much! Keep your mouth shut!"

 _Tsk_. Milluki clicked his tongue. Killua lifted up his head and glared at his mother. "Gon's here and you hid that from me?!"

"Don't yell at Mama!" Milluki slapped Killua with a whip.

"Stop that!" Kikyo snatched the whip out of Milluki's hand and tossed it aside. She then returned her attention back on Killua. "Sorry, Kil. Since it's impossible for him to open the main gate, I thought you didn't need to know."

"Then what about Elina?"

Kikyo's eyes widened. "How did you...?" She immediately turned to Milluki who shook his head frantically and said, "It wasn't me."

Killua scoffed. "Have you forgotten? Elina lived with us before. During her stay, she explored every inch of our place, including the hidden areas. Back then, I was the one who brought her here. You told her I couldn't see her so she came to me instead. Funny, right?"

Kikyo bit her lips. "But she's not here anymore! She left!"

"She'll be back," Killua said immediately. "Gon too. He'll _definitel_ y make it here."

* * *

"One."

"Two."

"Three!"

Mustering all the energy they had, Gon, Kurapika, and Leorio, pushed with all their might. It has been two weeks since Gon and his friends came to meet Killua. During that time, Gon's left arm has healed and the three trained under Zebro and his co-worker, Seaquant, in order to open the Testing Gate. Finally, the day has come. The three are currently working together to open the first door. Little by little, the door moved. As the door slowly began to open, they took a step forward simultaneously. Summoning the last bit of their energy and giving the door a final push, it finally opened.

"We did it!" cheered Gon as he high-fived Leorio and Kurapika. The three new hunters pumped their fists into the air and cheered once more. Gon then turned to Zebro. "Thank you so much, Zebro-san! You've been a huge help!"

Zebro smiled. "It was nothing much." He pointed down a path and spoke, "Follow this path and head for the mountain. The mansion should be somewhere up there." Gon nodded in understanding and waved Zebro goodbye before departing.

Gon and his friends walked roughly for half a day but stopped when an obstacle, a teenage girl dressed in a servant suit, blocked their way. "Leave," was the first word she said. "You're trespassing on private property. I cannot allow you to pass without permission." She drew a horizontal line with the cane in her hand. "If you take one step beyond this line, I'll remove you by force."

Gon furrowed his eyebrow at the girl. He didn't like her attitude at all. With determined eyes, he walked up to her and took one step across the line. Instantly, he was sent flying.

"Gon!" cried Leorio. Leorio glared at the female as he took out his switchblade while Kurapika took out a pair of wooden swords.

"Leorio! Kurapika!" shouted Gon. "Don't interfere. Let me handle it." The twelve years old boy got back onto his feet and faced the female. "We don't intend to fight you. We just want to see Killua."

"I don't care about your motives," stated the girl. "I'm Canary, an apprentice butler of the Zoldyck family, and I'm simply following orders. No matter how many time you try, I'll never let you pass."

And so, Gon tried again. He stepped over the line and was sent flying by Canary's cane. After a few more hits, Gon clenched his fist and exclaimed, "I'm definitely gonna see Killua!"

Canary was surprised by the holler but she quickly recomposed herself. Again and again, she forcibly removed Gon for trespassing. Gon's face became a real mess. It was severely bruised and swollen. By now, the sky was dyed red, orange, and yellow.

"Stay away!" Canary cried. Gon refused and was struck by her again. She turned to Leorio and Kurapika. "Why don't you guys stop him!? Aren't you guys his friends?!" No response was given.

"Why?" Gon muttered, wobbling onto his feet. "I'm just here to see my friend." He took a stride forward. "I'm just here to see Killua." And another. "So why?" Closer and closer. "Why do I have to do all this?!" Gon smashed the pillar beside Canary. Stunned, Canary froze. Gon looked her in the eyes. "Aren't you gonna hit me? I crossed the line."

Canary looked down at Gon's foot. Yes, he has crossed the line. She held up her cane but in the end, she lowered it back down. She couldn't do it anymore. "You're different from Mike," spoke Gon. "No matter how hard you try to hide your feelings, you at least have a heart. Whenever I mentioned Killua, your eyes would soften."

Upon those words, Canary averted her gaze. Gon's eyes were too bright for her to look at. Her vision blurred as she bowed before Gon. "Please," she cried weakly. "Help Kil-!" Before Canary could finish her plead, she collapsed onto the ground with a _thud_.

Leorio and Kurapika hurried over to Canary to check if she was alright. Meanwhile, Gon faced the direction of the attack. From a distance, stood a woman and a child. The woman stepped forward. "You must be Gon. I heard about you from Illumi. Killua knows that you're here and asked me to send you a message. He said: thank you for coming. I really appreciate it but I can't see you right now. Sorry."

Gon frowned. "Who are you?"

The woman curtsied. "Forgive me for not introducing myself. I am Killua's mother." She gestured at the child beside her. "This is Kalluto. The youngest child out of the five siblings." Kalluto bowed politely. One might mistake Kalluto for a girl due to his black shoulder-length hair, feminine face, and his kimono, but without a doubt, he's a boy. The Zoldyck family only has male children.

"Why can't Killua see us?" Gon demanded.

"Because he's in solitary confinement," Kikyo answered. "Kil stabbed me and his brother before running away from home. He returned because he regretted his actions and voluntarily entered solitary confinement."

Suddenly, Kikyo let out an abrupt scream. "Father!? What are you doing?! Please don't do anything hasty! Killua just returned!"

Gon and his friends watched in confusion. After a moment, Kikyo seemed to have calmed down. "Something urgent has come up so I bid you farewell." With that said, she rushed off with Kalluto following behind.

Once they were gone, Leorio spoke up. "I know I shouldn't be saying this but they really creep me out. I bet she was lying about Killua not being able to see us."

"Yeah. I think so too." Gon then knelt down beside Canary. "Are you ok?"

Canary nodded as Leorio helped her up. "Let me take you guys to the butler's office. There's a phone that connects to the mansion. We can test our luck with that." Gon, Kurapika, and Leorio agreed to her suggestion. Hence, the four headed for the butler's office.

* * *

Tightening his grip on the whip, Milluki roared. "Wake up!"

Killua lifted up his head and opened his eyes. "Oh, good morning," he greeted. "What time is it?"

The chubby assassin glared at his younger brother. "Stop acting so arrogant, Kil!"

The silver-haired assassin frowned. "What are you talking about? I really do feel bad for stabbing you. I'm totally reflecting on it. Sorry, it was my fault."

Milluki scoffed. "Yeah, right. Stop lying!"

"You can tell?"

The older male was about to lash out at Killua but stopped to receive an incoming call. After ending the call, Milluki smirked. "Did you know Kil, your friends are on their way to the butler's office. If I ask Mama, those three-"

 _Bang_! Chunks of iron fell onto the floor. The chain that bounded Killua's left arm has shattered into pieces. "Milluki," Killua called in menacing a tone. "If you lay a single finger on them, I'll _kill_ you."

The older male froze. Just then, there was a knock on the door. An old man with grey-white hair walked into the chamber. "That's enough, Mil."

"But Grandpa Zeno, he isn't sorry at all!" complained Milluki, pointing accusingly at Killua.

Zeno sighed. "I know that." He walked up to the silver-haired assassin and spoke. "Kil, you can leave now."

Killua grinned happily. "Ok~" he sang as he broke free from the remaining chains and shackles and headed for the door. Before Killua exited, Zeno informed him that his father, Silvia, wanted to see him.

Once Killua left, Milluki tossed the whip onto the floor and stomped on it. "D*mn it! You always spoil Kil, Grandpa! That's why he's such an uppity brat!"

"That's because he's special."

"But still! How can you just let him leave like that?!"

Zeno heaved a tired sigh. "...It was a request from Lia."

Milluki raised an eyebrow. "Lia? Elina's mom? Why is she interfering?"

"You see, Elina went home and told Lia about Killua's situation, asking her to do something about it. Lia ended up calling us a few times and well… Let's just leave it at the fact that she managed to convince Silvia and I to let Killua go." Zeno turned to face Milluki and asked, "What do you think of Kil's potential?

"It's amazing, of course. He's probably the most talented Zoldyck in history. Mama thinks so too and I agree as well," Milluki answered. "However, he fails as an assassin. He's too moody. A kid who wants to make friends can't lead the Zoldyck family. In the end, he's just a crybaby. He's mentally weak."

Zeno hummed and he headed for the door. "That is true but… Without a doubt, Kil has great potential as an elite assassin and is worthy to be the heir of the family. Not only that, Elina has taken a liking to him."

Milluki scoffed as he followed his grandpa out the door. The two assassins walked down the hall when an idea popped into Milluki's head. "Grandpa, can't we cancel her engagement with Killua and have her engage to me instead? As long as she ends up with someone from the Zoldyck family, both family benefits, right?"

Zeno stopped in his steps and frowned at Milluki. "Don't joke around like that. Do you think her parents will agree? What do you take Elina for? Elina is special. Her parents only agreed to her engagement with Illumi because our family are on good term. They canceled it because Elina was against it. Her engagement with Killua was proposed by her parents. This is a great opportunity for us. Not just anyone would do. For the Zoldyck family's future, Illumi or Killua would be the most suitable ones for Elina."

Zeno scowled at Milluki. "Remember to keep your mouth shut. Those two don't even know that this engagement exist."

"I know, I know. I'm not that dumb. If they find out, they might be against the engagement since they're so comfortable with their current relationship."

Zeno nodded and heaved his third sigh. "Youngsters these days. How troublesome."

* * *

"You're slow," complained a voice.

A pair of deep blue eyes widened. "Elina!" Killua ran up to his raven-haired partner and grinned. "Sorry, I was busy talking with my dad."

"Are you allow to leave now?" she inquired.

Killua nodded. "Yeah. How did you do it?"

Elina flashed him a mischievous smile. "Nothing much~" she sang. "I just asked my mother for a _little_ help."

"Guess my parents are no match for your mother," joked Killua. "Thanks for helping me"

Elina shook her head and downcasted her gaze. "...Sorry," she muttered.

"Sorry for what?"

"Sorry for taking so long and… Sorry for not being there for you at the final phase," Elina gripped the helm of her shirt. "I wasn't there for you when you needed me the most... Yet you were always there for me when I needed you…"

"What are you talking about?" Killua patted the female's head. "You got me out of solitary confinement and came back for me just like you promised." He took Elina by the hand and looked into her lapis eyes. "You being here right now already means a lot to me. Thank you, Elina."

Taken back by Killua's honestly, Elina averted her eyes. "I-Is that so…" she stammered.

Noticing her rosy cheek, Killua's eyes softened. _How cute…_ He released his hold on her hand and spoke. "You know, Gon and the others are here. I think they're on their way to the butler's office. We should hurry over."

"Alright."

The two headed for the butler's office when a light bulb went over Killua's head. He turned to Elina with a mischievous grin. "Race you there!" he shouted and dashed off.

Elina shook her head helplessly. "Not this again…"

* * *

"Leorio, lend me your knife."

"Huh?"

"Don't worry. I won't use it for anything stupid." Gon extended his hand for the knife and took off the cotton eye patch over his left eye. With one swing, he gently slit his eyelid before patching it up again. "Alright, I can see better now." Gon turned to face Gotoh, a butler of the Zoldyck family. "Give me your best shot."

With that said, Gotoh flipped the gold coin into the air and moved his hands in a speed so fast that afterimages were created. Catching the coin in one hand, he demanded. "Which hand is the coin in?"

"Your left hand," answered Gon. He was correct.

"Not bad." Gotoh smiled and stood up. He walked up to two other butlers and flipped the coin into the air again. This time, three butlers, aka 6 hands, were shufflings amongst each other. Once the exchange was done, Gotoh smirked. "Who holds the coin now?"

Gon pondered for a moment before grinning and pointed at the butler behind him. "The person behind me has it."

The butler behind Gon smiled. Once again, Gon was correct. In the palm of the butler's hand was a gold coin. Kurapika and Leorio both stood up in shock. Gon received a round of applause when a voice came from beyond the door. "Gotoh, is Gon here yet? Elina and I have been waiting forever."

Killua opened the door and stepped into the room while Elina poked her head around the door. To their surprise, the first person they saw was a kid his age. "Gon!" they exclaimed simultaneously.

"Killua! Elina!" Gon jumped out of his seat and greeted his friends.

"Oh, Kurapika is here as well," Killua noted.

"What am I? An afterthought?" Kurapika grumbled.

"Liorio is here too."

"It's Leorio!" fumed the older male.

Killua turned to Gon and grinned. "It's been a while. I can't believe you actually came. And that face, what happened to it? It's messed up!"

"Yours isn't any better!" Gon retorted. The two laughed at each other's remarks.

"Hey, Gotoh," called Killua. "I told you to let me know as soon as Gon and the others arrived. What were you doing?"

Gotoh bowed. "Please forgive me. I had them participate in a little game of mine. It was nothing more than a poor joke."

"A game?" Killua frowned. "Did they do something?"

Gon shook his head. "No, they were only trying to entertain us."

"Is that so? Well, whatever. Let's leave already. Anywhere is fine. If we stay here any longer my mother will give us an earful!"

Gon nodded and grabbed his backpack. Leorio grabbed his briefcase and Kurapika grabbed his bag. "Listen up, Gotoh. I don't care what my mother said but don't follow us," ordered Killua.

"Understood. Please take care, Young Master Killua and Lady Elina."

"What?! You're here on a tourist visa?" exclaimed Killua in disbelief. "Didn't you pass the hunter exam? You could've just used your hunter license. It lets you stay in other countries for as long as you want."

"I know but I've already decided. I'm not using my license until I've finished what I need to do," stated Gon.

"And what's that?" inquired Killua.

Gon reached for his pocket and took out a tag with the number forty four on it. "This is Hisoka's tag. I'll be returning it to him after I punch him in the face!" declared Gon. "Until then, I won't use my hunter license nor can I return to Whale Island."

"Geez… You're so stubborn, Gon," commented Elina.

"I know right," stated Killua. Leorio and Kurapika also nodded in agreement. "So, do you know where Hisoka is?"

"Ugh… I don't..." Gon scratched the back of his head sheepishly. Killua, Elina and Leorio all sighed.

"I know where he is," spoke Kurapika.

"Really?!" Gon's eyes twinkled. "How?"

"He told me in person."

"Is that what he whispered to you during the final phase?" Leorio asked.

Kurapika shook his head. "No, he only said he had information on The Phantom Troupe. It was after we got our hunter license that he told me ' _I shall wait for you on September 1st in Yorknew City'."_

"September 1st? That's over half a year away," noted Elina.

Gon frowned. "What's going to happen in Yorknew City?"

Suddenly, something clicked in Leorio's head. "That's where the world's largest auction will be held," he recalled.

Kurapika nodded. "Correct. From September 1st through September 10th there will be an auction for unusual items, rare goods, and national treasures from all around the world. This event attracts all kinds of nasty folk. The Phantom Troupe are bandits so they definitely won't let this chance escape. Anyway, Hisoka will be somewhere in Yorknew City on that day."

"Ok. September 1st. Got it." Gon thanked Kurapika for the information. Once that was done, the five ordered food from the train attendant. Once the food arrived, they began to eat.

"I've been wanting to ask this for a while," began Leorio. He turned to Elina. "How come you were with Killua? We heard you left the day you came."

Elina put down her can of tea. "Oh, that? I came back today. Well, it'll be more accurate to say yesterday since midnight has passed. To be even more precise, it was an hour after you guys passed the Testing Gate."

"How come we didn't see you? I know you were a hour behind but that female butler, Canary, stopped us from proceeding for a very long time. Where were you and what were you doing?"

"Well, first I had a chat with Zebro-san. Next, I entered through the Testing Gate. Then I went to find Mike and patted him until I was satisfied. After that, I went to find Killua. Once we met up, we went to the butler's office. Oh, just so you know, I didn't take the path Zebro-san instructed you guys to take."

Leorio gave Elina a weird look. "Why does it sound like you had a much easier time than us?"

"Cause I did," Elina replied. She picked up her sandwich and was about to take a bite when Gon posed a question. "Wasn't Killua in solitary confinement? How did you two meet up?"

This was answered by Killua. "Elina had her mother convinced my parents to let me out. As you can see, it worked."

"Your mother sure is something…" muttered Leorio.

Elina beamed. "She really is. She's amazing! I love her so much!"

"Yeah, yeah, whatever," Killua waved off the topic. Elina shot him a glare before turning to the others. "What do you guys plan on doing now?" she inquired.

Kurapika was the first to answer. "I plan on searching for a patron who'll employ me as a hunter. After all, I'll need money to participate in the auction."

"I'm returning to my hometown," answered Leorio. "I haven't given up my dream to become a doctor. If I'm accepted into medical school," he pulled out his hunter license, "I can use this to pay for the tuition."

Elina smiled at the two. "Those are wonderful plans. I wish you both the best of luck." Leorio and Kurapika returned her smile with their own. Gon flashed a grin as well. "We're all going our own ways but we'll definitely meet again."

Kurapika nodded. "Yeah, you're right. That we'll be…"

"September 1st in Yorknew City!" declared the five before bursting into laughter. They chatted until morning and finally separated at the airport. Only the three twelve years old remained together. What awaits them?

* * *

This chapter is so long (x.x) I hope it wasn't boring!

Thank you Fir3gamer for the favorite and follow!

Review please~


	11. Heavens Arena

Chapter 11

Gon's eyes widened as he scanned the outer appearance of the building before him. "Wow! It's huge! Is this the place where we're gonna train and earn money?"

Killua nodded. "Yup, this is Heavens Arena. It has two hundred fifty-one stories and is nine hundred ninety-one meters tall. It's the world's fourth tallest building."

"Impressive," Gon muttered as he got in line. "Is everyone here entering Heavens Arena? The line is so long."

"Yup~" chimed Elina. "Unlike the Hunter Exam, at Heavens Arena, there aren't any difficult conditions to fulfill. All you have to do is defeat your opponent. The higher you go, the more prize money you earn."

Gon hummed in understanding. His two friends explained more about the place before it was finally their turn at the counter. Beyond the counter was a woman. She had Gon, Killua and Elina fill out a form and then entered their information into a computer. Next, she gave each of them a number before allowing them to enter. The moment Gon stepped into the stadium his eye twinkled. The place was truly like a coliseum. There were multiple combat stages in the center while the areas around it were all seats. The three quickly took a seat and spectated the fights that were currently going on.

"How nostalgic. This place hasn't changed one bit," commented Killua.

"Huh? You've been here before?" Gon questioned.

"Yeah, when I was six. My dad left me here without a penny and said I can only go home when I reach the 200th floor. It took me two years."

"Two years?!" Gon exclaimed in shock. "You were here for two years all by yourself?!"

"Nah, she was with me." Killua pointed at Elina. "She came to find me after she heard from my dad that I was here."

Gon shook his head helplessly when he heard that. "Elina, you must've had a lot of free time to stay here for two years just to be with Killua."

Elina shrugged. "Maybe I did? Oh, but for your information, I only stayed here for a little over a year. I came pretty late. Nevertheless, I caught up to Killua anyway."

Killua frowned. "That's cause I waited for you."

"You did not."

Gon chuckled as he watched the two bicker. Suddenly, his number was called. "Number 2055! That's me!" He jumped out of his seat and took off his backpack. "Gosh, I'm getting nervous now!" Before Gon left for his battle, Killua stood up and whispered something into his ear.

"What did you say?" inquired Elina. Killua simply smirked. The moment Gon entered the ring, the crowd burst into laughter.

"Hey, kid!" one called. "This is your last chance to run!"

"This ain't a game!" shouted another. "With one punch, you'll be sent out of the ring!"

Ignoring those useless comments, Gon studied his opponent. His opponent was a man twice his size and had tone muscles but was very round.

"On the first floor, we appraise each participant's level. You have three minutes to demonstrate your prowess," stated the referee. "You may begin!"

Once the battle started, the giant man threw a punch at Gon. Gon stepped aside and easily invaded the attack." _You got through the Testing Gate, right? In that case, just push with all you've got."_ Killua's words resurfaced in Gon's mind. Taking a deep breath, Gon took a step forward. He placed his hand on the man's stomach and gave it a push. Promptly, his opponent flew out of the ring and slammed into the wall.

Gasps and mutters could be heard. "No way!" someone cried.

"Nice!" Killua and Elina did a high-five. Instantly, the atmosphere of the room changed. People began to cheer and whistle. "That kid is incredible! He got some crazy power!" yelled a spectator.

Gon stared at his right hand. _When did I become so strong?_ "Number 2055, please proceed to the 50th floor," instructed the referee. He clicked some buttons on a hand device and a ticket came out. He gave that ticket to Gon. Gon thanked the man and returned to his friends.

Next up was Killua. No words needed. It was an easy victory for the assassin. "Oh! You've already been on the 200th floor? Very well, you may proceed to the 180th floor," said the referee.

"No, I'll start from the 50th floor," stated Killua. "I want to take it easy." The referee nodded in understanding and gave Killua a ticket. Killua was about to descend from the ring when a young brunette from another ring caught his eyes. He was a small boy, perhaps ten years old, and wore a standard karate uniform. Apparently, he defeated his opponent and was also going to the 50th floor. After a moment, it was finally Elina's turn. Just like Gon, she was mocked for being a kid _and_ a girl. Nevertheless, her victory shut everyone up.

"Another one?!" exclaimed the referee. "You've also been on the 200th floor? Don't tell me you also want to start from the 50th floor?" Elina giggled and nodded. The referee heaved a tired sigh before giving Elina her ticket.

Gon, Killua, and Elina then got into the elevator where they were greeted by a female elevator operator. She gave them an explanation of how things worked in Heavens Arena. "At Heavens Arena, the first 200 floors are divided into classes, each comprised of ten floors. This means that after someone defeats an opponent in the 50s they advance to the 60s. However, if they lose. they'll drop back to the 40s," she explained.

Gon already heard about this from Killua but thanked the women anyway. "After you pass the 100th floor, you also get your own room," said a voice from behind. The three twelve years old looked over their shoulder. Behind them was a young brunette, the one that caught Killua's attention. Noticing the surprise on their face, the brunette smiled. "Sorry, I forgot to introduce myself. Osu! My name is Zushi! What about you guys?"

The silver-haired boy pointed at himself. "I'm Killua," he said and gestured at the raven-haired girl. "She's Elina."

"Hello," greeted Elina. Zushi gave her a curt nod.

"And I'm Gon!"

Once the introduction was over, the four arrived at the 50th floor and got off the elevator. "I saw your fights earlier! You guys were amazing!" Zushi complimented.

"What are you talking about? You also made it up here with one match," noted Killua.

Zushi shook his head. "No, I still have a long way to go. By the way, which martial arts discipline do you practice? I study the Shingen-Ryu fighting technique."

"None," answered Elina.

"What?! You guys are that strong without going to school to train?!" Zushi dropped his head in defeat. "I'm shocked. I guess I still have a long way to go." Just then, someone called out Zushi's name. The brunette turned around immediately. "Master!" Zushi shouted.

"Zushi, I saw your fight. You did great," praised Zushi's master who then turned to Gon and the others. "They are?"

Zushi gestured at his new friends and introduced them. "They're Killua-san, Elina-san and Gon-san."

"Nice to meet you. I'm Wing," greeted the man. Wing was a man with black hair, had glasses, and wore a light pink shirt that's partially untucked along with grey pants and white shoes. "I didn't expect to meet other children here. Why are you guys here?"

"Well, we want to get stronger but we're also broke so we're making money simultaneously," answered Killua.

"I see. Since you guys made it up here, you guys must be fairly skilled. However, you must pay strict attention to your surroundings as well as your own body," stated Wing.

"Osu!" replied the three. Wing nodded in approval before letting the four leave to get their prize money. The four gave in their ticket in exchange for money.

"One hundred fifty-two jenny…" counted Gon. "This is only enough for a can of juice."

"Yup, but if you win over an opponent in the 50s you'll earn fifty thousand. In the 100s, you'll earn a million. Once you passed the 150th floor, you'll get ten million," informed Killua.

"Ten million?!" cried Gon and Zushi.

"Killua, Elina, you two made it to the 200th floor, right? How much did you guys get for winning on that floor?" Gon demanded.

Killua shrugged. "Even if you ask us, we don't really know. After all, we quit as soon as we reached the 200th floor."

"I think we got two hundred million on the 190th floor," Elina recalled.

Gon and Zushi turned into stones. "And where's that money now?" Gon inquired.

"That was four years ago," laughed Killua. "Of course, it's all gone by now. I spent it all on snacks!"

"Two hundred million on snacks. Nonetheless, in four years?" Gon shook his head in disbelief.

"What kind of snacks were they?" muttered Zushi.

"You see, Killua has a sweet tooth. He spent it all on chocolate," whispered Elina.

"Did you spend the money as well?" Gon asked.

"No, I sent it to my parents and had them hoard it for me," answered Elina.

"At least that's better than what Killua did…" mumbled Zushi.

"Hey! What are you guys muttering over there?" Killua glanced accusingly at the three. "Nothing," was their reply. Killua obviously didn't believe them but decided to remain quiet. "Let's head to the waiting room," he suggested. "We didn't take any damage in the previous match so we'll probably be assigned another match today."

And so, the four walked into the waiting room. It was full of adults. Elina looked around and sighed. "I really am the only girl, aren't I?"

Killua chuckled. "Well, it was also like that back then." Despite the tension in the room, Killua and Elina were able to converse perfectly fine. Gon and Zushi were deeply impressed. Shortly, an announcement was made. "Number 2054, Killua-sama and number 1963, Zushi-sama, please head for arena A on the 57th floor."

The two contestants hurried out of the waiting room but before Killua exited, Elina called him out. "Killua, Gon and I will be going head. Take your time~"

* * *

"Clean hit!" shouted the referee, raising two fingers into the air.

"Amazing!" declared the announcer. "Killua has knocked out another opponent with a single chop! A clean hit and knocking down his opponent earns him two points!"

"As you already know, under the points and knockout system, there are clean hits, critical hits, and knockdowns," explained the announcer. "Attacks that are counted as 'clean hits' are worth one point while attacks counted as 'critical hits' are worth two points. Knocking down your opponent also earns you one point. After amassing ten points, you are awarded a technical knockout and wins. Of course, if your opponent cannot continue to fight you also win!"

Killua gazed down at Zushi after performing a neck chop and thought ' _this should be the end_ ' but Zushi somehow managed to get back up. Zushi rushed forward at Killua and released multiple punches. None of the punches made contact with his opponent. Killua neck chopped Zushi once more. This time, Zushi got back up straight away.

Killua clicked his tongue. _So the same attack won't work on you twice._

Zushi quickly distanced himself from Killua. _Unbelievable. He has dominating power and speed!_ With that in mind, Zushi changed his stance. At that moment, Killua's eyes widened. The first thing that popped into his mind was his oldest brother, Illumi. The assassin jumped back.

While Killua and Zushi were fighting, Gon and Elina were spectating in the waiting room. The battle was on tv. Gon stood up from his seat. "Killua jumped back?!"

Elina smirked. _I knew it_. _So Zushi does know how to use_ that.

Suddenly, a loud shout was heard. "ZUSHI!" It was Wing. Wing stood up from his seat and wore a frown. Immediately, Zushi reverted back to his normal stance. Killua narrowed his eyes in Wing's direction. Shortly, the match resumed. It was a one-sided battle. Killua ended up winning by earning ten points. Once Killua got his ticket, he hurried to the 60th floor and met up with Gon and Elina. They finished their match while he was still battling against Zushi. The three then went to exchange their ticket for their prize money.

"You're frustrated, aren't you? For not being able to knockout Zushi."

Upon those words, Killua shot Elina a glare who was unfazed by it. "When Zushi changed his stance," began Killua. "He reminded me of Illumi… I don't know what it was but it felt dangerous. I must be some kind of technique. I overheard his master calling it ' _Ren_ ' and that Zushi must not use it until he reaches the top."

"There are a lot of strong fighters at the top, right? Maybe it has something to do with defeating them?" Gon suggested.

"I don't know but maybe it does…" Killua turned to his friends and with serious eyes, he announced, "Guys, there's a change in plans. I'm aiming to reach the top."

Gon and Elina exchanged glances before smiling at the assassin. "That's fine by us."

* * *

Many thanks to: Potatoes and Nice Weather (Great username you have there!) and Mjoshmarcos!

Child-of-Strength: OMG! I didn't even realized that the message got cut off. Thanks for telling me that. Also, that was like the fastest review I ever got after I upload a chapter (I'm so happy!) Also what kind of Nen User Elina is? You'll see~ Your guess it not completely wrong though. You're on the right track and your reasoning was perfect. Thanks for reading! Review again please~


	12. Nen

Chapter 12

It has only been three days since Gon, Killua, and Elina arrived at Heavens Arena and they've already reached the 100th floor without a scratch. The three newcomers were very popular with the audiences as they were known for different things: Killua's chop, Gon's push, and Elina's kick.

That night, each of them was given a private room due to their advancement to the 100th floor. Over the next few days, they reached the 150th floor. The three had just exchanged their tickets for money and were on their way back to their room when Killua sighed. "Honestly, I'm a little annoyed."

"Huh?" Gon and Elina turned to the silver-haired boy.

"During my first time here, it took me two months to reach the 150th floor but Gon only took a week."

Gon scratched the back of his head with a silly grin. "Haha, don't worry about it. Back then, you were only six."

Killua frowned. "Nevertheless, I have the slowest record in reaching the 150th floor. Back then, Elina only took three weeks. Thinking back to it, I'm pissed."

Elina chuckled. "Don't be~" she sang. "It can't be helped that I'm stronger than you." With that said, she earned herself a glare from the assassin.

Gon sweatdropped. _She's teasing him again…_ Suddenly, something popped into mind. "Guys," he called. "Can we go see Zushi? I saw him on TV earlier and it seems like he's still on the 50th floor."

"Yeah, sure," Elina replied. "Why though?"

"Nothing much. It's just… Ever since Killua's match with him, I've been wondering what exactly is Ren?" Gon looked down at his hands and clenched them into a fist. "I want to get stronger," he declared.

With that said, the three went to find Zushi. Once they found Zushi and asked him for an explanation on Ren, the brunette began to explain. "Ren is one of the four major principles for disciplining your mind and body. It's the fundamental to every martial art. You must know 'Ten', learn 'Zetsu', achieve 'Ren', and reach 'Hatsu'. This is all part of the 'Nen' training. That's all for my explanation."

Gon stared at Zushi with steam rising from his head whereas an irk mark appeared on Killua's forehead. Elina wore a poker face but it was difficult to maintain. _Gosh, his explanation… Simple but unhelpful. I know I'm not one to talk but I'm sure I could've done better._

"I have no idea what you just said!" Killua hollered.

Zushi took a step back under Killua's fierce gaze. "Eh? But I think I explained it very well…"

Elina sweatdropped. _You call that explanation well?_ Just then, a familiar voice called out the brunette's name. "Zushi, are you sufficiently educated to be teaching others?"

Zushi turned to the direction of the voice. "Master?!"

Wing smiled and walked up to the children. "Gon-kun, Killua-kun, and Elina-chan, have you guys heard of the old saying that if you learn something in piecemeals you'll end up knowing less than when you started?" Gon and Elina shook their heads.

Killua frowned. "Are you saying that it's dangerous to learn things in piecemeal?" Before Wing had the chance to reply, the assassin continued, "But I want to know right now! I need to know. After all, this is related to the secret behind my brother's power."

Wing's eyes widened. "Your brother uses Nen?"

"I think so," answered Killua. "First off, I don't even know what is Nen and Ren. Can't you teach me? That way, I don't have to figure it out on my own nor will I misuse it."

"Yeah, me too!" Gon shouted, raising his hand.

"Then me as well," added Elina. _Though I already know..._

Wing became silent. He gazed down at the three children and then glanced at Zushi. "I understand," he finally said. "Come with me to my residence."

Wing led the children to his place and once they arrived, the lesson started immediately. "Nen means to burn your own soul. In other words, it tests your strength of will. The four major principles are part of the training curriculum for strengthening your will," began Wing

"Ten means to focus on your soul to a single point to increase awareness of your ego and goals. Zetsu means to express yourself in words. Ren means to temper that will and Hatsu means to act upon that will."

Gon nodded in understanding. "I see… So that's what they mean."

"During Killua's fight with Zushi, Zushi tempered his 'refusal to lose', aka Ren, at Killua," explained Wing. He turned to Killua. "Allow me to demonstrate."

With that said, Wing demonstrated Ren step by step. The moment Wing unleashed his Ren, Killua froze. His's pupil dilated and cold sweat trickled down his chin. Unlike Zushi's Ren, Wing's Ren was much stronger. It was as if Illumi stood before him. Like a cat trying to get out of water, Killua scurried away.

"See?" Wing pointed at the far away Killua. "With Ren, you can make your opponent back down without moving a muscle. The concept of bluffing derives from this. However, you should avoid using Ren until your soul has fully matured. Like Zushi, you guys should be training your souls."

Killua scowled at Wing and hissed, "Is that so," before exiting. Gon hurried behind. Of course, he thanked Wing before he left. Elina was the last one to leave. Before she left, she whispered something in Wing's ear. " _Liar_."

* * *

"He was lying?" Gon furrowed his eyebrow.

"Yeah." Killua narrowed his eyes. "The explanation made perfect sense but it still had holes. Zushi kept getting up after I knocked him down. I got irritated so I became a bit serious and put a lot more force into my last attack. Yet… He still got back up."

"Why did Wing-san lie though?" Gon inquired.

"Who knows? Maybe Nen is actually very dangerous?" guessed Elina. "Anyway, we're bound to learn it if we need it."

That night, the three returned to their room to rest for the day. Though Gon and Killua appeared to be fine with not learning Nen, in actuality, they wanted to learn Nen very badly. A few days later, the three reached the 200th floor. When the elevator stopped at the 200th floor, they exited. Gon's jaw dropped at how fancy the place was. The three walked down the hall, turned a corner, and arrived at an isolated corridor. Beyond this corridor was the receptionist desk, the three's destination.

Even without taking a step down the deserted hall, the three exchanged alert glances. "What's this? It's as if we're in a jungle surrounded by monsters," muttered Gon as beads of sweat formed on his forehead.

Killua clenched his fist and slowly took a step forward. Then another. And another. Gon and Elina followed after him. The three made it halfway through the hall when they abruptly halted. Gon gazed down at his feet. _I can't move! I can't bring myself to take another step!_

"This is bloodlust and it's aimed at us," noted Elina in a low voice. She narrowed her eyes and looked ahead. There was no one at the end of the hall.

"Who's there? Show yourself!" Killua demanded.

Upon Killua's order, a woman with purple hair appeared at the end of the hall. "Killua-sama, Gon-sama, and Elina-sama, correct?" She gestured to her left. "The reception desk is over here. Please register for the matches on the 200th floor by midnight. For your information, there are currently one hundred seventy-three contestants on this floor. Starting from this floor, weapons are allowed in battles. You also will stop receiving prize money, instead, you'll be fighting for glory."

Gon gulped down the lump of saliva stuck in his throat. "Is she the source of that murderous intent?"

Elina shook her head. "No… She's not." She raised her hand and pointed at the man behind the receptionist. "It's him."

Gon's breath hitched at the sight of that man. "H-Hisoka?!" he exclaimed in shock. "Why are you here?!"

The magician pulled out a poker card and grinned. "What's so strange about me being here? I love to fight and this place is designated for fighting."

Killua scowled. "Cut the crap! You've been waiting for us, haven't you?"

"And if I did?" mused Hisoka. He tossed the poker card in the boys' direction, causing them to jump back. "As a veteran here, I have a warning. It's too early for you boys to be on this floor. Leave for now."

"As if we'll do that!" roared Killua.

Hisoka heaved a sighed. The magician took a seat on the floor and unleashed a dark purple aura. "I won't let you guys pass, not that you guys can anyway." He glanced at Elina. "Expect for her."

"What's going here, Elina?!" growled Killua. "How come we can't pass but you can?

Elina avoided the assassin's gaze and remained silent. _Tsk!_ Killua clicked his tongue. "I'm expecting a proper explanation later." He turned to Gon. "Let's go, Gon."

Despite the aura Hisoka was emitting, the two boys pushed ahead. Heavy. That's the word. The weight of the pressure emitted by the aura was beyond their capabilities.

"That's enough!" Elina cried. She appeared before Gon and Killua and blocked their way. At the same time, she shielded them from Hisoka's aura. Elina looked over her shoulder and shot the magician a glare only to see him smirk. _F*ck you!_ She mentally cursed. She then turned back to Gon and Killua. "Stop being reckless! You guys stand no chance against his Nen!" she hollered.

"She's right," agreed a familiar voice. The voice was Wing's. "You two have no defense against his Nen. If you guys continue to strain your body, you'll die."

"This is Nen?! You're saying that he stopped us from moving forward simply from his willpower?!" Killua scoffed. "Stop lying!"

"Yes, I was lying," confessed Wing. "I'll teach you two the truth about Nen so please retreat for now."

Gon frowned and faced the receptionist. "If we don't register for a fight by midnight, what will happen?"

"For you, you'll have to start again from the first floor but Killua-sama and Elina-sama will be ban from participating in Heavens Arena ever again," answered the woman.

After hearing this, Killua faced Wing."If we retreat now, will we return by midnight?"

Wing wore a serious expression and replied, "That'll depend on you two."

With less than four hours on the clock will Gon and Killua succeed in learning Nen?

* * *

It's done~ I hope everyone enjoyed this chapter! Until next time~


	13. Welcome

Chapter 13

Killua was pissed.

Why? Well, for a lot of reasons. He was lied to by Wing, provoked by Hisoka, left in the dark by Elina, and has less than four hours to learn Nen or else he's ban from Heavens Arena. Just wonderful. All of this wouldn't have happened if Wing never lied in the first place. Now he's at Wing's residence listening to the _real_ explanation about Nen.

"Nen is the ability to manipulate your aura, also known as your life energy. Everyone possesses a small amount of life energy. In most cases, it's simply discharged. The ability to create a shroud of life energy around our body is known as Ten. With this, you can strengthen your body and prevent it from aging considerably. Next comes Zetsu which nullifies your aura. It's effective for concealing your presence and recovering from extreme fatigue. After this is Ren, a technique that enhances your aura." Wing stopped and turned to Gon and Killua. "Do you guys understand everything so far?"

Killua hummed while Gon let out an enthusiastic, "Yeah!"

"It's starting to make sense now! This explanation is better than the one Zushi gave!" Gon was an honest boy. A little too honest. He meant no harm and Zushi knew that, however, the brunette took quite a blow from his words.

"Please don't mind, that's just how he is," Elina said with an apologetic smile.

Wing smiled at the two boys. "Can you feel that?" he asked after a moment. Gon and Killua exchanged looks before nodding. Wing's glasses glinted. _They felt that? Amazing. I am impressed by their senses. Is it due to the environment they grew up in or… Do they have potential?_

Shaking away his thoughts, Wing continued his explanation. "Aura is an energy that comes from the human body and can be used very effectively against other humans whether it's for the better or the worse. If you use your aura to attack a helpless person, you can kill them. The only thing that can protect you from someone's Nen is your own Nen. Therefore, you must learn Ten for defense. You must block the other person's aura with your own. Otherwise…" Wing placed his hand on the wall and instantly, the wall was pushed back and cracked. "Your body will be crushed."

Gon and Killua gasped at the damage the wall has taken. Wing wore a serious expression as he faced them. "Nen is a power that dwells within everyone. However, at present, only a few are capable of using it and they are treated as geniuses, leaders, psychics, or superhumans." He lifted up two fingers. "There are two ways to awaken this power. The deliberate way and the aggressive way."

"As for Zushi, he underwent the deliberate method," Wing stated. "He was a quick learner and a hard worker so he was able to master Ten in about six months. For your information, that's a very short amount of time."

"Even so, that's too long!" Killua exclaimed. "We need to learn Ten and pass through Hisoka's Nen before midnight."

"I know, that's why you guys will undergo the aggressive method."

"If we do that, would we make it in time?"

Wing adjusted his glasses. "Like I said before, that will depend on you guys."

 _Tsk_. Killua clicked his tongue. He glanced at the clock. Only three hours left. It was a race against time. The silver-haired assassin downcasted his gaze and mumbled, "What if we don't make it in time?" He voiced his worry in a barely audible voice, expecting it to go unheard but it didn't.

Elina stepped forward. She walked up to Killua and frowned. "Rather than worrying if you'll make it on time or not, start learning already. You'll never know if you never try. Where did your confidence go? If I can learn it, then you can too."

She turned to Wing and looked him in the eye. "Please get started. They _will_ make it on time. You have my words. They are both very talented."

Wing's eyes widened. He was slightly taken back. When Elina spoke, her voice was gentle yet firm. Her lapis eyes were filled with certainty and she gave off a charismatic vibe. In that moment, he must admit that he was captivated by her confidence. "I understand, let's get started." Wing walked up to Gon and Killua. "I will now direct my aura into your bodies. This is known as Hatsu, which I demonstrated earlier."

Subconsciously, two pairs of eyes glanced at the damaged wall. Noticing this, Wing smiled gently. "Don't worry, I will restrain myself since I do not wish to destroy your bodies. However, this way is still very perilous. Currently, your body's opening, or micropyles, are closed, thus, the flow of your aura is inhibited. I will direct my aura into your bodies to open those micropyles. Under normal circumstances, you would spend a long time meditating to open those apertures. Even Zushi, a natural talent, required three months."

Hearing those words, natural talent, Zushi grinned and puffed out his chest. It was only till he heard what Wing said next that he dropped his head in defeat.

"But you two could do it in a week or even sooner."

Killua frowned. "I don't really get it. Isn't the quick and dirty way always better?"

Elina sweatdropped. _That's not always true. Well, as expected of Killua…_

Wing shook his head. "This is a shady and highly frowned upon method. You will be ignoring the correct procedure and might even die if the person doing this was weak or evil."

"But you aren't weak nor evil," Gon pointed out.

"Anyway, why did you suddenly decide to teach us the _true_ four major principles?" inquired Killua.

Wing heaved a tired sigh and ruffled his hair. "That's because you guys were so stubborn. Then again, I did not want to squander this opportunity. If you guys were to fight on the 200th floor not knowing Nen, you guys would suffer greatly. On that floor, everyone knows Nen and they have a special greeting to the newcomers who don't. A Nen attack. They don't care if you die or not."

Wing then raised his hand and extended it. "Put down your belongings, take off your shirt, and turn your backs toward me." The boys did what they were told. They tossed their bags onto the floor and took off their upper clothings. Killua and Gon were left in tank tops, navy and black respectively. They then turned their back at Wing. Even without direct contact, the boys felt the heat and pressure that was being emitted. Wing took a deep breath and narrowed his eyes. "Here I go."

Promptly, a wave of energy flew across the room, followed up by a yelp from the boys. Before they knew it, it was done. Wing brought back his hands to his side. "Every micropyle on your bodies has been open. What you're seeing right now is your aura."

Gon and Killua were speechless. They looked at each other and then at themselves. "It's like smoke," stated Gon. "Like the steam that rises from the spout of a kettle."

Killua stared at his hands. "It's rushing out from every part of my body. It's not stopping. Isn't this dangerous? "

Elina hummed. "It is,"

"This is your life energy so if it continues to escape you'll grow tired. If you expend all your aura, you'll collapse from fatigue." Wing clapped his hands. "Listen carefully. You must concentrate on keeping your aura within your body. Close your eyes and use any stance that helps you focus. Visualize your aura flowing like blood through your body. Then visualize that the flow is starting to ebb and that it's hovering around your body."

Gon and Killua did what they were instructed. They closed their eyes and began to visualize. Zushi's pupil dilated at the sight of the two. Elina's lips curled up into a smile. "See, I told you they are gifted."

A cold sweat trickled down Wing's forehead. _They really are incredible. I didn't need to tell them that a natural stance would be most effective. With minimal advice, they've already mastered the technique. Magnificent… Yet terrifying._ "Slowly open your eyes and tell me how you feel."

Gon was the first to open his eyes. "I feel like I'm surrounded by some kind of warm mucus."

Killua nodded. "Yeah, it's like I'm wearing weightless clothes."

"Continue to maintain those images. Once you've assimilated them, you'll be able to use Ten even when you're sleeping." With that said, Wing raised his hand and extended it once more. "I will now use hostile Nen against you guys." And he did. "Previously, it would've been painful for you guys to even stand. If you guys can withstand my Nen, you'll be able to break through his barrier. Here I come!"

* * *

Footsteps could be heard from the end of the hall. The magician raised his head and smirked at his guests. With a wave of hand, he directed hostile Nen at Gon, Killua, and Elina. The trio fended off his Nen with ease and arrived at the other end of the hall.

"Welcome to the 200th floor," Hisoka greeted as he stood up. He turned to Gon and licked his lips. "I can guess why you came to Heavens Arena. You intended to train before challenging me, right?"

"Yeah, but I didn't expect to find you here," Gon replied. "That sure saved me time."

The magician chuckled. "You should avoid being overconfident just because you learned Ten. There is much more to learn about Nen. At the moment, I don't have the urge to fight you. However, if you managed to win a single match on this floor, I shall accept your challenge." With that said, Hisoka left. Once Hisoka was out of sight, the trio turned left and headed for the receptionist desk.

"Welcome to the 200th floor!" greeted the receptionist. Once again, it was a woman but a different one from before. "Would you like to register for a match right now?" she asked, handing the trio a form. "On this floor, there's a self-service system by which you are permitted ninety days of preparation. You may choose to fight on any days in that time period. Of course, you're free to fight every day or you can wait till the very last day. Once you've participated in a match, you get another ninety days to prepare. However, if you don't fight in those ninety days, you'll be disqualified and your name will be struck from all records."

Gon picked up a pen. "Does that mean we'll be fighting multiple time on this floor?"

"Yes, you'll need to win ten times in order to clear this floor but if you lose four times you'll be disqualified." The woman continued with great enthusiasm and sparkling eyes. "Nevertheless, if you win ten times, you get to challenge the Floor Masters! There are twenty-one Floor Masters and they each claim one of the floors from the 230th floor to the 250th floor. If you defeat a Floor Master, you become the new one! In addition to that, you earn the right to participate in the biennial celebration of combat, Battle Olympia!"

Killua hummed. "Putting that aside, is there anything special about the top floor?"

"Yes, of course! The champion of Battle Olympia gets to live in the penthouse on the top floor! It's one thousand meters above the ground! That's an incredible honor!"

Gon turned to Killua. "But isn't your house three thousand seven hundred meters above the ground?"

"Is it." Killua placed down his pen and handed in his form before sighing. "Anyway, what do you guys plan on doing now? Now that I know the top floor's secret, I don't care anymore."

"Same~" drawled Elina.

"Me too. I just want to fight Hisoka." Gon clenched his fist. "But I'll need to win a match in order to do that. First, I have to find out how different these opponents are. I want to fight right away."

"Then please fill out this form out as well." The receptionist gave Gon another form.

Gon began filling out his second form when three men appeared behind him and his friends. Killua greeted them with an unwelcoming gaze. "Do you guys need something?"

"No, not really. We're simply in line to register for a fight," one of them answered.

Elina handed in her form and turned around. Behind her stood a tall man with white hair. He had slanted eyes and a pale complexion. If Elina were to describe his face, she'll say it looked like a mask. He also wore a long purple robe with green outlines and was missing a left arm.

The man behind Killua was short. He was dressed in red due to the cloak and hood he had on. His lower body was missing, replaced by a metal peg leg and he held onto a wooden cane, probably for support. For some reason, he also wore a breathing mask.

Lastly, the man behind Gon, probably paralyzed since he was sitting in a large motorized wheelchair, looked the most normal. This man has spiky purple hair and wore a yellow headgear. His outfit was nothing special, just a plain white robe.

"Oh, I get it." Killua nudged Gon. "It seems like these guys want to fight on the same day as you do."

Gon hummed as he handed in both his forms. "I'm always ready to fight." He turned to his friends and grinned. "Let's go." Before they left, the three were given the key to their new assigned room. Gon's in room 2207, Killua's in room 2223, and Elina's in room 2230.

Upon entering the room, Gon's jaw dropped. "This room is huge!" Immediately, he went to explore the room. Once he was done, he kicked off his shoes and jumped on the king size bed. "This feels so fluffy~"

"That bed could probably fit all three of us…" noted Elina. "Can't I-

Before Elina could finish, Killua interjected with a firm, "No." The raven-haired female frowned. "But I haven't said anything yet."

"You were gonna ask if you can stay here tonight, right? Well, the answer is no. Stay in your own room. Only I can stay in Gon's room."

"But you're a guy. It doesn't make sense for a guy to stay in another guy's room. Moreover, just the two of you. That doesn't make any sense!"

"Yes, it does! It's perfectly fine for two guys to share a room!"

Gon snickered at their pointless argument. "I don't mind if Elina stays here."

Killua shot Gon a glare. "I do!" He grabbed Elina by the wrist, dragged her to the door, and tossed her out. With a _bam_ , he slammed the door shut and locked it without hesitation.

 _Tsk_. Clicking her tongue, Elina picked herself up from the floor. Before she left to find her own room, she gave Gon's door a good kick. "Killua, you meanie! I'll remember this!"

Beyond the door, Killua childishly stuck out tongue and mumbled, "Yeah, yeah, whatever." Gon chuckled at the sight.

"What?" grumbled Killua.

"No, it's just I really didn't mind if Elina stayed. It would be more fun with the three of us. You didn't have to be so mean to her."

"Nope! She definitely can't stay. She's a girl so she should at least have some self-awareness."

Gon chuckled once more. "You really care for Elina, don't you?"

Killua's face flushed. "Idiot! That's not it! I-I just... Want us to be alone!"

Realizing that Killua was flustered, Gon's laughter grew louder. Annoyed, Killua pounced on Gon and smacked him with a pillow. Suddenly, the TV turned on automatically. There were words on the screen. It read, 'Your battle has been set at 3 p.m. March 11th."

Killua's eyes widened. "What?! Tomorrow?! That's fast."

Taking this chance, Gon pushed Killua away before facing the TV. "You're right. It really is tomorrow." Gon gazed down at his fists and tightened them. "I probably won't be able to win tomorrow but that's ok. What I need is experience. I want to discover what I can do with this power."

Noticing the excitement in Gon's eyes, Killua smiled. "Yeah, you're right. Good luck." With that said, the two of boys did a fist bump before resting for the night.

* * *

Thank you WinderWonder5 and GoldenFortuna for the like favorite and follow! May you have a wonderful day!


	14. Idiot

Chapter 14

A greenish black-haired boy sat on his bed and looked down at his bandaged right arm. He sighed at the sight of his sling cast. With an awkward smile, Gon faced his two friends and laughed sheepishly. Of course, now's not the time to be laughing but Gon couldn't help it. This was his way to prepare himself for their upcoming wrath.

So, how did this happen? Well, it's a long story. Don't worry, I'll _try_ to make it short. First, let's rewind a few hours back. It all started when the referee declared the fight has begun.

Gon's first opponent on the 200th floor was Gido, the man in red. Despite, the loss of his lower body, Gido had the advantage in this battle. He launched tiny tops onto the ring which began to spin and flew in multiple directions. It didn't take a minute for the tops to strike his opponent, earning him a point. Gon was already off to a rough start.

No matter how hard Gon tried to predict and dodge Gido's attacks, it all resulted in failure. The attack pattern was too complex and the damage dealt was equivalent to a hammer. If it wasn't for Ten, Gon would've been in great danger. After all, Gido's attacks were a form of Hatsu. He was projecting his aura into the tops, allowing the tops to move with more strength and speed. Manipulating small objects requires a small amount of aura whereas larger objects require more.

As time ticked by, points racked up in Gido's favor leaving Gon with none. Shortly, the twelve years old boy was knocked out of the ring. However, whether it's for the better or the worse, Gon figured out the secret to Gido's tops. That was: the tops weren't actually targeting him. It was impossible to command so many tops to move with precision. The tops most likely received the order: strike anything in their way. Realizing this, Gon returned onto the ring and launched a direct attack at Gido.

Gido smirked. Instantly, he spun himself like a top and enveloped himself with Ten. Gon, unable to stop his attack, was repelled and knocked out of the ring once again. It was a fabulous counter on Gido's part. With the score of 9-0, Gon clenched his fists and hurried back onto the ring. The moment he stepped onto the ring, he released his Ten. No, to be more specific, Gon entered _Zetsu_.

In order to track the tops' complex movements, Gon must use all his senses. However, if he were to do that, he can't maintain Ten. The best option was to release Ten. For the first time since the fight has begun, Gon managed to dodge Gido's tops. Gon couldn't afford to get hit. It's over if he does.

With fifty tops on the ring, Gido was starting to get tired. Almost an hour has passed since Gon entered Zetsu and he was doing very well. At least, that's what most people thought. Abruptly, Gon's eyes jolted open. He glanced to his right and his pupil dilated. A single top was coming his way and there was nowhere to run. Clenching his teeth, Gon lifted up his right arm and _bang_!

That's how things came to how they stand now.

"Last time it was your left and now it's your right." Elina shook her head in disbelief. "Do you enjoy having your arms broken?"

Gon immediately shook his head. "Trust me, I really don't."

Killua scoffed. "Oh really? Says the one who broke his right radius, right ulna, three ribs, and fractured his humerus."

"That's not all," continued the female. "You also have twelve minor fractures. You'll need four months to recover."

Gon sweatdropped. _Was it really_ that _bad?_ "I'm sorry," he said in a not-so-sorry tone.

Killua frowned and smacked Gon in the head. "An apology won't help! Do you even have a brain?! One wrong move and you could've died! Did you want to die?! Why did you think Four-Eyes trained us?! What are you, a moron?!"

Gon pouted. "You don't have to put it that way. I had a feeling I'd be ok. I only took a single hit and it missed my vital spots. I'm not gonna die or anything."

An irk mark appeared on the Killua's forehead. Before he could snap, there was a knock on the door. "Coming!" he grumbled as he went and opened the door.

Once the door was opened, Wing entered. At the sight of Wing, Gon hurried to apologize but his apology was cut short. Wing slapped him across the face and scolded," An apology won't help! What were you thinking?! Did you want to die?!"

Elina glanced at Killua. "Deja vu?" she mumbled. The assassin nodded.

Gon downcasted his gaze. "I'm very sorry, Wing-san."

"It's fine. I'm just glad you weren't hurt too badly." Wing expressed his relief before asking, "How long will it take for you to recover?"

Killua answered the question for Gon. "The doctor said it would take two months." Elina rolled her eyes. _Yeah, right._

"Alright then, starting from today, I forbid you to participate in any matches for two months. You're also not allowed to train nor study Nen. If you don't abide to these rules, I will never teach you again." Wing crossed his arms. "Understand?"

Gon nodded. "I understand. I'll do as you say."

Satisfied with Gon's response, Wing asked the boy for his left hand and tied a promise thread on his pinky. "This will act as a visual reminder of the promise." Once that was done, Wing faced Killua and Elina. "Please come with me for a moment." The two exchanged confused glances but did what they were told. They followed Wing out the door and arrived at a park. There, in a serious manner, Wing inquired, "What is the true objective you three are pursuing?"

"This again?" Elina heaved an annoyed sigh. "Killua, why don't you explain? I'll go get some drinks."

With that said, she left to find a vending machine. Until she was completely out of sight, Killua took a seat on a bench. "We really don't have an objective. Before running into you and Zushi, our plan was to earn some money as we train. You see, Gon want to defeat a guy named Hisoka. That's all there is to it. Unlike the other participants in Heavens Arena, Elina and I are not really interested in the Battle Olympia. I can't say for Gon. Even though he said he only wants to fight Hisoka, after seeing his match, I have a feeling that he enjoys the thrills."

Wing wore a baffled expression. "You're saying that he was enjoying a situation that would have cost him his life? That's ridiculous…"

Killua shrugged. "Not really. After all, Elina and I feel the same."

Beads of cold sweat began to form on Wing's forehead as his glasses glinted. _Don't tell me I-_

"It's too late."

Wing's eyes widened. His train of thoughts was broken by Killua's voice. "Gon and I have already learned it. It's too late to regret it now. My brother, Hisoka, and even Elina knows Nen. Gon and I are bound to learn it eventually. If you're gonna back out we'll just have someone else teach us or learn it ourselves."

Wing furrowed his eyebrow. "I understand," he finally said. "I have no intention of backing out. Zushi is waiting at my place, why don't you and Elina come train with him?"

Killua shook his head. "No, it's fine. We won't leave Gon behind. If he keeps his promise, we'll start training when he does." He then stood up and glanced to his left. Elina was already on her way back.

"Here." Elina handed the two males a drink. "Are you guys done talking yet?"

Wing nodded. "Yes. We're done talking. Please tell Gon-kun to practice Ten every day. You guys should too." With that said, Wing left. Once he was out of sight, Killua and Elina set off themselves. After walking for a moment, Elina spoke up. "So? What did you do? It seems like he's willing to teach us now."

"Nothing much. I just said we're bound to learn Nen even if he doesn't teach us and how we're the type who enjoys thrills."

"Doesn't the second part only apply to you and Gon?"

"Says the one who enjoys thrill the most."

"Oh?" Elina raised an eyebrow. "What makes you say that?"

Killua smirked. "It's pretty obvious. Your eyes sparkled with excitement when Gon released his Ten and entered Zetsu. Then again, I've always been watching you ever since we're young, how could I not know?"

Elina's lips curled up into a satisfied smile. "You're right. I do enjoy thrills but that's not all. There is something else I desire more than thrill."

"And what's that?" This time, it was Killua's turn to raise an eyebrow.

Elina stopped in her steps as she stared into the assassin's eyes. "Do you really want to know?" She brought her face closer to his. "That's…" she began.

"That's...?"

"A secret!" Elina flicked Killua on the forehead and stuck out her tongue before turning away. "As if I'll tell you."

The silver-haired boy rubbed his forehead and frowned. "Why not? Spill it already. Now I'm even more curious."

"You've always been watching me ever since we're young, how can you _not_ know?"

Sensing the sarcasm in her voice, Killua clicked his tongue. "Be like that." He picked up his pace and walked off. Seeing him walk away, Elina chuckled to herself. _Seriously, why are you so stupid? What I desire the most was always beside me… Realize that already, you idiot…_ My _future idiot._

"Geez, what are you doing? I'm going to leave you behind!"

Hearing this familiar voice, Elina looked up from the ground. To her surprise, a certain silver-haired boy was waiting for her across the street. When the light became green, she ran up to him and linked her arm with his. Killua's eyes widened. "W-What are you doing?!" Blood rushed up to his cheek causing it to turn rosy pink.

Elina simply smiled. "You know, if you try a little harder, you'll definitely discover what I desire the most. It's not that hard to figure out. "

"Is that so? I'll keep that in mind..."

Elina hummed as she nuzzled her head against Killua's shoulder. The assassin froze. He opened his mouth to protest but no words came out. He gazed down at the raven-haired girl who looked at him with tender eyes. Immediately, Killua avoided eye contact. For some reason, his temperature rose. He felt warm. Scratch that, he was hot. Elina's sudden display of affection was more than he could handle. Not to mention, they were in public. As they returned to Heavens Arena, Killua sighed inwardly. _She's seriously bad for my heart..._

* * *

Um, I'm not too confident about this chapter. I had a hard time making it flow well. I apologize if it was boring or too choppy. What do you guys think? Comment about it. Nevertheless, I hope everyone enjoyed this update! School started so updates will be slower but please continue supporting me through favorites, follows, and reviews!

Many thanks to: Akisull, Austin0425, Leontodon, Roseko-chan, Shikine, and Ayanali1530a!

oZ6Ns: ?

Elisablackcat: Yup, I wasn't kidding~ Please prepare yourself for more slow burn! XD I'm glad you enjoyed it though! Review again~

Caliope07: You're the one who's awesome! Thank you for reviewing! I'll try to post regularly but since school started it might be difficult so sorry in advance.

Unit next time~


	15. Kastro

Chapter 15

One month. Only one month has passed since Gon made a promise with Wing. As of yet, the promise still remains. The greenish black-haired boy was doing pretty well but he was at his limit. "Gosh, I want to fight so badly~!" he cried, jumping onto his bed and burying his head in his pillow.

Hearing this, Elina sighed and placed down her book. She was too lazy to get out of her chair so she twisted her upper body to face the boy. "Come on, Gon. There's only one month left. Please stay put until then."

The stubborn boy shook his head. With a helpless smile, Elina stood up and took a seat on Gon's bed. "Don't give up now," she encouraged gently. "Think about how Killua and I feel. We really want to learn Nen but we decided to wait for you. We have faith that you'll be able to keep your promise."

"Yeah, right." Gon sat up and frowned at the raven-haired girl. "Says the one who's currently on duty. If you guys had faith in me, you guys wouldn't be taking turns keeping me under surveillance."

"Oh?" Elina raised an eyebrow. "The cat's already out of the bag?" She didn't even bother denying Gon's accusation. She would if she could, but she couldn't. After all, it was the truth.

Gon's jaw dropped. "Ah ha! I knew it! I can't believe you two had so little faith in me!"

 _Sorry, Gon… It's not that we had_ little _faith in you… We actually had_ none… Of course, Elina didn't say that aloud. "But if we didn't do that, you would've broken the promise already," she reasoned.

Gon wasn't listening. He didn't want to. He covered his ears with his hands and turned away. Clearly, he was upset. Just then, the door to his room was flung open (it wasn't locked) by a mischievous silver cat. Actually no, it was Killua. "Guys, I have some good news!" announced the assassin. He shut the door and walked up to the bed. Before he delivered the good news, he noticed the awkward atmosphere around his friends and inquired, "What happened?"

Elina replied, "The cat's out of the bag." Immediately, Killua realized what she meant. He sheepishly scratched the back of his head and glanced at the upset Gon. After pondering for a moment, a light bulb went over his head. "Gon!" he called cheerfully. "Forgive us! It's not that we had no faith, um, I mean, little faith in you… We just wanna be there for you when you're having a hard time. That way, we can cheer you on!" Holding out a fist, Killua beamed. "I know you can do this. You're not the type to break a promise. Let's all learn Nen together."

Gon stared at Killua's fist and took a deep breath. Slowly, he extended out his own. The two boys did a fist bump and smiled at each other.

Elina, who was watching on the sideline, was slightly annoyed. _So he listens to Killua and not me?_ For some reason, she felt like she has lost. Dissatisfied, Elina shot the assassin a glare before hugging Gon from behind. "Sorry…" she muttered.

Gon's eyes softened. "No, it's fine. It's my fault for not giving you a chance to explain yourself." He turned around and returned Elina's hug. When the two made up, flowers seemed to be blooming in the background.

Watching this, Killua felt his eyebrow twitched. "How long are you guys going to keep hugging each other?"

Gon sweatdropped. Sensing the dark undertone in the assassin's voice, he quickly broke the hug. If looks could kill, he would already be dead. "Oh yeah, what's the good news you have for us?" he asked hurriedly, trying to change the subject as soon as possible. Luckily, it did the trick.

"Oh, that?" Killua smirked and puffed out his chest. "I'll tell you guys after we get some food."

His words left Gon and Elina dumbfounded. Then again, who has any complaints about getting food? Straightaway, the three exited the room, locked the door, left Heavens Arena, and went to a nearby cafe. After selecting their respective meals they waited for their orders. In the meantime, Killua informed his friends about the "good news" he had.

"What?!" Gon exclaimed in shock. "Hisoka is having a match today?!"

"Yup." Killua pulled out two tickets from his pocket and placed them on the table. "As a fighter on the 200th floor, I got dibs on the tickets. Even so, I only managed to get two. The tickets for Hisoka's match was sold out instantly. Not to mention the fact that they were d*mn expensive! I also have some information on him. Hisoka is the real deal. He has a record of eight wins, three losses, and six KO's. Each KO had led to death."

"But he lost three matches," noted Gon. "I thought he'll win all of them."

Killua shook his head. "Those three losses were due to forfeits. He reached the registration deadline so he signed up for a match but didn't show up."

"In other words, if Hisoka actually fights, he doesn't lose," concluded Elina.

Killua nodded. "Yup. In addition to that, he has only given up a total of four points. One knockdown and three clean hits. Basically, in terms of strength, he's as strong as a Floor Master."

"I guess I'm in trouble then..." Gon muttered. That being said, he didn't look troubled at all. His brown eyes were filled with anticipation and his hands trembled with excitement. At this point, the conversation was over. Their food arrived just in time and thus, they began to eat. When they finished, the returned to Heavens Arena.

As the three got onto the escalator, Killua recalled something important. "Oh yeah, Hisoka's opponent is a guy named Kastro. Out of the four points scored against Hisoka, he's responsible for three. This time, the two registered on the same day so they could fight each other." He looked over his shoulder at Gon. "You should go watch this battle and analyze Hisoka's fighting style. We might even see him go all out."

Gon hummed softly. He was about to say something when a cough from behind interrupted him. "Killua, that ' _we'_ you mentioned didn't include me, right?" The two boys froze. The discontent in Elina's voice couldn't be any more obvious. Killua muttered "crap!" and nudged Gon for help.

Gon sighed inwardly. "Elina," he called. "I still have to keep my promise with Wing-san. I don't know if it's ok for me to go watch a match so why don't you go instead?"

The female opened her mouth to speak but Killua beat her to it. "What are you talking about? Of course, it's ok! You're only watching a match!"

"No, it's not ok! Watching a match also counts as learning Nen!"

At the sudden voice, the three looked up. At the top of the escalator stood a familiar figure. It was Wing. He had his arms crossed and wore a frown. When they reached the summit and got off the escalator, Wing inquired, "Gon-kun, is your arm already healed?"

Gon looked down at his right arm. There were no bandages and no sling cast. "Yes," he answered. Hard to believe, right? His injuries should've kept him out of actions for four months, however, he miraculously recovered in one.

Wing smiled at the news. "I see, that's good to hear." He then glanced at the promise thread on the boy's pinky and spoke, "However, you promised me to rest for two months. Spend one more month on recovering and practicing Ten." Gon nodded in understanding and with this, Wing walked off.

"I guess it can't be helped. Elina and I will go watch the match in person while you watch the recording." Killua handed his partner a ticket. She gladly received it and then left without a word. "Tsk, what's with her?" he grumbled with a frown.

Gon simply let out a helpless laugh and shrugged. "Who knows?"

* * *

Burying her face in her pillow, the raven-haired girl left out a long exhausted sigh. _Why did I act like that? It's not Killua's fault for not being able to get three tickets and it's only natural for him to invite Gon instead of me… Gosh, what am I? A kid?!_

Groaning, Elina flipped onto her back and stared at the white ceiling. "How long has it been since I last act upon such petty emotions?" she muttered to herself. She thought for a while and searched her memories for an answer. _It's no use. I can't remember at all… It was so far back… If mother and father knew, I bet they'll be disappointed in me…_

Tossing to her side, Elina heaved another sigh, "And if he knew, he'll give me an earful." With that said, she shut her eyes. For the past month, due to Gon's promise with Wing, Killua and her have been sparring with each other whenever they had time. However, their free time was usually at night because that's when Gon was asleep. Like Killua, Elina can function perfectly fine without sleep for a couple of days but a month was unheard of. Of course, it's not like they haven't slept at all. It's just that the amount was very minimum.

Now that she finally has some time alone, her body naturally started to relax. The cool air from the air conditioner, the gentle classical music being played, and the fresh fragrance of flowers soothed Elina's mind. Last but not least, the warmth of her bed made her very sleepy. When her consciousness was beginning to darken, a knock on the door was heard. At first, Elina ignored it but after countless knocks, she had enough. She forced herself out of bed and dragged herself to the door. The moment she opened the door, her lapis eyes made eye contact with a pair of red ones. Immediately, Elina shut the door without a second thought.

"Now that wasn't very nice," noted the voice from outside.

 _Why is he here?_ Elina quickly recomposed herself and opened the door once more. "My greatest apologies, it's just I've been taught to not open the door for strangers," she said with a polite smile.

The uninvited guest raised an eyebrow. "Stranger, you say? How cruel. Here I thought I was your friend."

"Friend?" Elina scoffed. "That word never word existed in your dictionary and it never will."

"You're not cute at all."

"Why, thank you," shot Elina. _At least I'm cuter than you._

Hisoka scanned the raven-haired girl from head to toe before asking, "Were you sleeping?"

"I was, but thanks to you, I'm now wide awake."

The magician smirked. "Is that so? It was my pleasure."

 _This jerk...!_ Elina shot him a glare. She was not in the mood to deal with anyone.

Seeing this, Hisoka chuckled. "Here," he said, handing her a ticket. "I'm having a match today. You should come and watch. My tickets are hard to get so I came to give you one."

"There's no need. I have no intention of going to watch your match," stated Elina as she returned the ticket.

"Why not? It will be fun. I have something good to show you."

"Something good? Like what? If you're talking about your abilities I already know about them."

Hisoka gestured 'no' with his index finger. "It's not my abilities. It's my opponent's. Also, don't you want to see a proper match between Nen users? If you come to watch, I'll put on a show just for you."

Elina narrowed her eyes suspiciously. "What are you planning to do?"

The magician shrugged. "Who knows?"

The twelve years old girl frowned at his answer. She was too familiar with this scene. After all, she has never won against Hisoka's self-centered nature. Rather than prolonging this useless conversation, she gave up and snatched back the ticket from his hand. "You better make the match worth watching. If it's not interesting, I'm leaving right away."

"Of course." With that said, he knelt down and whispered something in Elina's ear. Immediately, her eyes widened. She opened her mouth to speak but Hisoka placed his finger on her lips, shushing her up. Satisfied with her reaction, Hisoka smirked before bidding her farewell. "See you then~"

And so, the magician walked down the hall and disappeared in the distant. Annoyed at the fact that he comes and goes, Elina slammed her door shut. She returned to her bed and gaze down at the extra ticket in her hand. _I should probably sell this._

* * *

"What were you doing, you idiot! The match already started!" grumbled Killua as he moved over to his left, making room for the raven-haired girl.

Once there was room, Elina sat down and gazed down at the ring where Hisoka and Kastro were. After that, she glanced at the scoreboard. Her eyebrow furrowed. _Kastro got the first point? How?_ She returned her attention back to the match and frowned. Kastro had just gained three points by dealing a clean hit and a knockdown on Hisoka. Elina didn't see how he did it since she wasn't paying attention but now she regretted that. _Geez… Is Hisoka purposely letting Kastro hit him? This isn't interesting at all._

"If I'm not mistaken, you seemed to have disappeared for a moment," noted Hisoka as he got back onto his feet.

Elina's eyes widened. "Kastro disappeared? What's going on?" She turned to Killua for an answer but the assassin shot her a glare. "Ugh, shut up already! Just watch the match! Even I don't know what happened!" Elina did she was told. She didn't expect Killua to get mad over a single question.

Thus, the battle continued. Kastro declared that he'll take one of Hisoka's arm and curled his fists as if they were claws. That was the "Tiger Bite Fist", a powerful technique that could destroy trees. Hisoka merely shrugged at Kastro's declaration and extended out his left arm, taunting Kastro to take it.

"What?!" Killua exclaimed in shock. _Hisoka still hasn't figured out Kastro's ability so why is he acting like that? He'll die! Does he want to die?!_

"He won't die," claimed a voice. The assassin looked to his right. Unlike himself, Elina was composed, not worried at all. Her lapis eyes remained fixed on the match as she spoke with confidence. "I'm sure Hisoka has some kind of plan."

"A plan? Like what?" he inquired.

Elina shrugged. "I don't know yet. Let's keep watching."

The two continued to watch the match as Kastro dashed at Hisoka. In a flash, Hisoka's right arm flew into the air and with a _thud_ , fell onto the floor. The audiences screamed at the sight. Killua gasped while Elina smirked. _So that was his plan. A doppelgänger, huh? Things are getting interesting._

"What the h*ll! Why did he do that?!" roared Killua.

"It was a trap," answered Elina. "Hisoka knew Kastro wouldn't take the arm he offered out. He sacrificed his right arm to figure out Kastro's ability."

"And how did you know that?"

"How can I not? After all, Hisoka's a self-centered jerk."

Killua rolled his eyes. _That's not helping…_

Just then, Kastro hissed at the magician. "Not everything will go the way you plan."

"But that was part of my plan," stated Hisoka. The magician smirked and jumped back to pick up his severed right arm. Your ability is a double, a doppelgänger."

"A doppelgänger?" Killua furrowed his eyebrow. "So Kastro actually had a double? So it wasn't my imagination when I saw two of him?"

Elina hummed. "Yup, seems like it." _I'm surprised that you even saw his double._

Returning to the match, Kastro grinned. "Impressive. Yes, you're right. I'm able to create a double with Nen. Not only that, it's not an illusion. As long as I don't dismiss it, you'll be fighting both of _me_." With that said, Kastro took a stance and curled his hands like claws again. Before you knew it, there was two of him. With a scowl, he (and his double) declared, "I'll be taking your left arm next."

Once again, Hisoka shrugged at Kastro's declaration. He placed his right arm under his armpit and used his left arm to get out a white scarf from his left pocket. He then covered his right arm with the scarf before throwing it into the air. Once that was done, his right arm disappeared and pokers cards rained down onto the floor along with the scarf. "Now then, I have a trick for you. Pick a number from one to thirteen. Once you have your number, add four and then double the result. After that, subtract six and divide by two. Finally, subtract your original number and what do you get?"

Killua and Elina exchanged knowing glances and answered simultaneously. "One," they said and they were right.

"The answer is one," announced Hisoka as he used his left hand and dug deeper into the wound he had on his right. Magically, he pulled out a poker card, ace of spade, and threw it at Kastro who knocked it away with ease.

Elina's eyes gleamed with excitement as she muttered, "The stage is all set." _The winner has been decided. There's no need for me to continue watching._ She got out of her seat and exited, leaving the clueless assassin behind.

"Seriously what's with her," grumbled Killua. He turned back to the match and to his dismay, Hisoka's right arm was restored. His eyes widened in shock. _What exactly did I miss? Why is his right arm attached?!_

Hisoka, who has lost his right arm, miraculously had it restore. However, this time, he lost his left arm instead. No one knew what happened and that caused a huge uproar. Kastro couldn't believe his eyes. Out of everyone, he was the one who took the most psychological damage. To make matter worse, the double he used to severed Hisoka's left arm dissipated right before his eyes. If he hadn't used his double to attack, he would've been the one in danger. _How can this be?! He must've used Nen to restore his arm. The question is what kind of Nen?_

Kastro gritted his teeth as cold sweat began to form on his forehead. Subconsciously, he took a step back. He wanted answers to his questions but there were none. It didn't him long to started panicking inwardly and that didn't go unnoticed by the magician. Hisoka wore a smug grin as he took a step forward at Kastro. "Your power to create a double is certainly magnificent but now that I understand your ability, I can anticipate your attacks and find a way to counter it. It's quite unfortunate but you will die today."

Hisoka spoke with confidence. Despite the loss of his left arm, he was unfazed by it. Instead, he continued to taunt Kastro. Unfortunately, Kastro gave into his provocation and lunged at the magician with his double. Immediately, Hisoka picked out the original Kastro. _Impossible!_ Kastro halted his attacks whereas his double continued. "Doubles are created based on the original image so they tend to pristine, but you can't recreate every effect of an ongoing battle. Did you not realize that?" mused Hisoka.

Kastro clenches his fist. He looked down at himself and his eyes widened. There were blood stains on his clothes and none on his double. Overcome with anger and shock, Kastro lunged at Hisoka. Before he knew it, he felt something smashed him in the chin and fell onto the floor. That 'something' was Hisoka's left arm. Due to the damage he had received, Kastro could no longer use his double. He wobbled onto his feet and scowled at the magician. He opened his mouth to speak but before he had the chance, the poker cards on the floor came flying at him. _I need to dodge!_ He mentally screamed.

"You can't dodge."

That's right, Kastro couldn't dodge. He had no control over his unstable body. The poker cards pierced through his body like daggers and with a _thud_ , Kastro collapsed onto the ground.

Hisoka smirked at the sight. "Using Nen to replicate and manipulate something as complex as a human being is extremely difficult. By the time you've mastered using your double, you've forgotten how to use Nen for anything else. I call that running out of memory. You lost because you wasted memory space."

With that said, Hisoka exited the ring. The referee declared him as the winner and the crowd went wild. Everyone cheered and applauded whereas Killua sat there in shock. He was at a loss for words. As Hisoka returned to his room, he waved at a young woman with pink, messy hair. She was short and wore traditional Japanese clothing, similar to a female ninja. Her blue eyes were icy cold. "Hurry up and show me the way to your room unless you want to me to leave."

Hisoka smiled at her unfriendliness and quickly brought her to the 200th floor. The two walked in silence and soon, they arrived at their destination. However, they had a guest. In front of Hisoka's room stood a raven-haired girl whose eyes widened at women beside him. "Machi...?"

* * *

I'm back with an update so please review, review, review~ Lol!

Is it weird that I prefer reviews instead of other things? Oh well, this is just me being weird so don't mind me! I think school is getting to me x.x

Many thanks to: Otakuofawesomeness, Celline The Sleeping Beauty, Livesinasong13, Angelmar020, and YvonneEevee22!

Tonami-chan: Thank you for your encouragement! I'm glad that you're enjoying the two's relationship!

Elisablackcat: I hope you were happy instead of confused XD


	16. Machi

Chapter 16

Curiosity killed the cat but satisfaction brought it back.

The perfect saying for this current situation.

Before Hisoka's battle against Kastro, the magician visited a *green raven-haired girl and invited her to meet up afterwards. His invitation statement was, 'I have someone I want you to meet.' Elina was wary at first. She had no reason to take up the invitation but she came anyway. Why? Simply because she was curious. Never in her life will she admit this but the people who Hisoka affiliated himself with were guaranteed to be interesting and that's one of the few (to non-existence) benefits of knowing him.

Hisoka's unpredictable. He will turn his back against anyone at any time and no one wants to be at the receiving end, including Elina. With her current skills, she's aware of the fact that she can't win against him. At least not yet. Simply put, being with Hisoka is like a double edge sword. That being said, Elina was glad that she accepted his invitation. The sight of the female shinobi evoked nostalgic memories for the young girl.

Elina ran up the pink-haired woman and hugged her tightly. Immediately, Machi protested, "Oi! Don't go hugging people so suddenly! Let go!"

Elina shook her head. "Don't wanna~"

Machi's eyebrow twitched and promptly, a cold chill ran down Elina's spine. That was a sign telling her to let go or else she'll have it coming, thus, she broke the hug.

Hisoka chuckled at the two's interaction before interrupting as he waved his severed left arm around. "Just so you know my arms still need to be fixed."

"That's your problem," shot the two females.

Machi snatched the severed left arm out of Hisoka's right arm and hissed, "Who told you to endanger yourself just to perform some kind of trick? I was never certain but today's match confirmed it. You an _idiot_ , right?" The magician mused 'perhaps' and earned himself a glare. Before Machi could continue her scolding, she noticed Elina's weird gaze. "What?"

"No, I'm just surprised," stated Elina. "You _just_ realized that he's an idiot? Isn't that a bit, I mean, _very_ late?"

"... A bit," Machi admitted reluctantly.

The two then took a few more minutes to dissed Hisoka. His 'bad points' were the only things that popped into mind. Then again, there are always two sides to a story. You never know, maybe someone actually thinks that the magician's so-called 'bad points' are quite charming.

Hisoka never cared about what others think of him. After all, he's a self-centered jerk. If he were to be insulted, he'll probably be delighted. To him, insults were compliments. That's just how his personality worked.

As he waited for Machi and Elina to finish talking, his smile grew wider. And no, it's not the 'happy-go-lucky' kind of smile but the 'craving-to-fight' kind of smile. When the girls finished their conversation, Hisoka unlocked the door to his room, opened it, and entered.

Once everyone entered, he took a seat at the table whereas Elina shut and locked the door. Machi placed down Hisoka's severed left arm and then took apart his right (since it was only temporary attached due to his Nen ability). After studying the depth of the magician's injuries, Machi took out a pin from the pincushion that was attached to her black fingerless glove and pulled out a never-ending thread. That thread was created by her Nen.

 _Nen Stitches_. That was one of Machi's Nen abilities. By using Nen, she could create threads that allow her to sew up open wounds and reattached severed limbs in a very short amount of time. It only took a few minutes for Machi to sewed up both Hisoka's left and right arm. Once she was done, she held out her hand. "There, pay up. Twenty million for the left arm and fifty million for the right."

Hisoka hummed as he scanned both his arms. Clearly, he was satisfied. "I'll send the money to your account."

"Is that so?" Machi retrieved her hand. "You can treat the rest of your injuries yourself. With your _Bungee Gum_ and _Texture Surprise_ , you'll manage it one way or another. If not, have Elina treat the rest."

Hisoka mused at Machi's remark and eyed the raven-haired girl who was leaning against the wall. His amber eyes met her lapis ones. Before he could say anything, Elina beat him to it. "Nope, I'm not treating anyone. Using _that_ ability consume so much energy and it's a lot of work. Plus, I'm not that good at it."

"Then take this as your chance to practice," suggested Machi.

"But-"

"I'll pay you."

Elina's eyes widened. _Did I hear that right?_ She studied the magician's expression and could tell that he was being serious, hence, she replied, "I'll think about it."

Hisoka chuckled at the answer he received. With a shrug, he pulled out the same white scarf he had used in his battle against Kastro. Using his Nen ability, _Bungee Gum_ , Hisoka attached the scarf over the stitches on his left arm and then used _Texture Surprise_ to create a layer of skin. Miraculously, the stitches disappeared and all that's left was a perfectly attached and recovered left arm.

 _Bungee Gum_ is Hisoka's primary Nen abilities to which he molded his aura into a substance with both the properties of rubber and gum. Due to this, his aura can stretch, swiftly contract, adhere to most substances, and be removed at any time.

Then there's _Texture Surprise_. For this ability, he combines both his aura with the power of his imagination to reproduce the appearance of something, in this case, his skin. Essentially, it's high-quality copy so you can tell if its fake if you touch it.

After Hisoka faked the recovery of his left arm, he did the same to his right. With his speed, it's only natural for his opponents to be confused at his abrupt recovery. Luckily, both females already knew about Hisoka's abilities or else they would've been lost as well.

Once he finished hiding all the stitches, Hisoka looked up from his arms. "How was it?" he inquired. "Was my fight interesting enough for your taste? You left your seat midway but you were still watching, right? Were you impressed by my application of these two abilities?"

Elina wore a faint smile as she voiced her opinion. "I admit, it was an interesting fight but I'm not impressed. As someone who enjoys thrills just like you, I expected you to pull something like that."

"I see, that's too bad. Well then, do you know how defeated Kastro?"

Elina rolled her eyes. "No, I don't."

"So you do. Tell me about it."

 _If you're not taking no for answer then why bother asking?_ Clicking her tongue, Elina revealed the method that led the magician to victory. Once she was done, Hisoka gave her a round of applause.

Elina crossed her arms and peered out the window at the cloudless night. "In that battle, everything was in your grasp. Despite using _Zestu_ to mask your aura, Kastro could've used _Gyo_ to see through your plan but you didn't allow that. You pretended to be at a disadvantage and made him lower his guard. After that, by using _Bungee Gum_ and _Texture Surprise_ , you fake the recovery of your severed arm, dealing him mental damage. Not missing the subtle change in his psychological state, you delivered the final blow with mere words and pushed him over the edge. You really are _sick_."

Hisoka shrugged. "Well, that just shows how much there is to him."

"Uh-huh, you're right about that." Elina turned to face the magician. With her back against the window, her black hair glistened under the moonlight. With piercing eyes and a smile as icy as frost, Elina opened her mouth. "I guess there wasn't much to him after all."

Her low voice that was somehow rough yet smooth, sent chills down Hisoka's and Machi's spine. Yes, this was it. Elina's _other_ self was slowly seeking out. Sensing the change in the younger girl, Machi quickly grabbed her bag that was on the table and spoke up. "Now that my job is done, I'll be leaving."

"Already?" inquired the other two in a disappointed voice.

To her relief, the air around Elina seemed to have returned back to normal just like the atmosphere in the room. Machi nodded and replied, "Yeah, it's about time for me to leave. And before I forget, I have a message for you, Hisoka: On August 30th, at noon, all troupe members must be in Yorknew City for a meeting. And before you ask me your usual question, here's my answer. The boss will most likely be there. This is probably our biggest job yet. If you skip this one, the boss might personally hunt you down."

"Hmm, how scary~"

Elina shook her head in disbelief. She wanted to ask the magician, ' _Just how obsessed are you with fighting strong opponents?'_ but she held it back. Instead, she asked, "Is it really alright for me to hear this? I'm not a member of the Phantom Troupe."

Machi looked over her shoulder and a rare smile was seen. "Most of us already considers you as a member so technically speaking, it's alright for you to know this piece of information. Of course, it'll be nice if you were actually a member. How about it? Wanna join us? I'm sure the boss will welcome you."

Elina shook her head. "My answer remains the same. Even if you guys consider me as a member of the Phantom Troupe, in truth, I am not and never will be. I have nothing against obtaining information on the Phantom Troupe but what if I sell you guys out? Have such thoughts ever occur to you all?"

Machi tilted her head slightly before walking up to Elina. "I can't speak for everyone in the Troupe but I can tell you this." She leaned in and locked eyes with the younger girl. "Not once has such thoughts ever occurred to me. You will never betray us. As for why? You know that best."

Machi patted Elina on the shoulder before leaving. Hisoka asked the shinobi if she wanted to join him for dinner and obviously, he got rejected. "What a pity…" cried Hisoka. That being said, he didn't look disappointed at all. Instead, from the very corner of his eyes, he was glancing at the raven-haired girl and noticed that her hands were curled up into fists.

A moment of silence overtook the room. After taking some deep breaths, Elina lifted up her head and walked up to Hisoka. When she stood before him, the magician raised out both his arms. She took this as a sign to begin. With her left hand on his left arm and her right hand on his right arm, she closed her eyes. An aqua blue light was emitted from her hands and enveloped the area where Hisoka's had his stitches. Beads of sweat began to form on Elina's forehead and trickled down her chin as time ticked by. Around eight minutes later, she released Hisoka's arms and wiped off her sweats with her sleeves.

Hisoka retrieved his arms and peeled off the copy of skin he made with _Texture Surprise_. This time, the stitches were really gone. He nodded in satisfaction and hummed, "Not bad. Your speed has increased as well. Both my arms are healed already. Go on, state the price."

"The same as Machi's."

"I'll send it to your account."

With that said, Elina began to head to for the door when Hisoka asked her to stay for dinner as well. Turning the knob, she looked over her shoulder and mouthed ' _Never_ ' before exiting and slamming the door shut.

Left alone, Hisoka gazed out the window with a frown. "Double pity…"

* * *

*The word 'green' was used as a reference to jealousy.

Elina was jealous of Gon (despite not knowing so) because Killua invited him to watch the match between Hisoka and Kastro.

Hello everyone, I'm back! I finally completed a chapter despite my hectic schedule x.x

This chapter is a bit rough, what do you all think? If necessary, I'll edit/revise it more when I have time.

Many thanks to: Tomtom2137, Lost in Reality's Mirror, KanoeLiz, Gateoftheguardian, BlackCross642, Xenocanaan, Loking3, Awesomeness9000, MysticFanfictions, Melsono, EmitaYaska, Yuuki Kanashimi, Hollow Yang, InuNekoDemoness, Lisamarieflicker3, and Mnbvcxzlkjhgfdsapoiuytrewq0987!

^I didn't expect to gain this much support while I was away! Thank you so much everyone!

Elisablackcat: Yes, I am still human (sadly) but I am now back with an update! P.S. I couldn't agree more with "jealousy is quite the green monster" XD

Celine The Sleeping Beauty: Thank you! And yes, the enemy of all authors when writing an OC is Mary Sue. If you feel like Elina's character is getting too Mary Sue in the future, please drop by in the comment and tell me so I can fix it :)

Xenocanaan: Thank you so much! Hope you enjoyed this chapter!

Smuh: Aw, that's so sweet of you! Hope you enjoy this update! And don't worry, I'll try to manage everything in my life one way or another.

Once again, thank you so much for all love and support you've all given me. It really motivated me to contiue writing. Cya all next time!


	17. May 5th

Chapter 17

With bored eyes, Killua gazed out the window at the cloudless night. Gon, who sensed something was wrong, walked up to his friend and patted the silver-haired male on the back. "What's wrong? Still thinking about how Hisoka won against Kastro?"

The assassin shook his head.

Gon frowned. "Is it about Elina?" This time, he received a nod. _What did Elina do this time?_ "Did you two fight or something?"

"No."

"Then what?"

"Nothing."

"I don't believe you." With that said, Gon dragged his friend to the bed, took a seat, and pestered the assassin to spill the beans. With no choice, Killua heaved a heavy sigh and confessed his worries. "Today, I realized that Elina and I aren't as close as I thought we were. As you already know, she and I are childhood friends. She was the first girl I ever met that was my age and vice versa. I thought I knew everything about her but… It seems like that wasn't the case."

Hearing this, Gon became confused. "Huh? What do you mean?"

"It just… There are so many things that I don't know about her. I didn't know she knew Nen. I have no clue when she learned it, where she learned it, why she learned it, nor do I know who she learned it from. I may not know how Hisoka won the battle but I'm sure Elina does. She-"

Before Killua could say any more, Gon hurriedly cut him off. Based on what was said so far, he understood the gist of what's going on in the assassin's mind. "First off, I don't think anyone could possibly know _everything_ about another person no matter how close they may be. You didn't know that Elina knew Nen, but know you do. That just means you guys got closer. There, problem solved."

The silver-haired boy shook his head and subconsciously curled his fingers into a fist. "That's not it. I sensed some distance between us. I knew her ever since we're five but in actuality, she and I have only spent four years together. Maybe we aren't close after all?"

Gon pondered for a moment before speaking. "But we've only met during the hunter exam. Does that mean we aren't close since we haven't been together for a long time?"

Killua immediately denied "No!"

Gon beamed at his answer. "Then that's good. That just shows how the duration one knows another doesn't define how close they are."

"Well, aren't you positive?" muttered Killua. Somehow, he felt a little bit better.

"I'm always positive."

"You bet you are," snickered the assassin.

The greenish black-haired boy smiled at his friend. _Guess he's feeling better now_. He was about to suggest going to bed when suddenly, a mischievous thought popped into mind. Gon crawled up to Killua and whispered something in his ear. It was meant to lighten up the mood and it sure did the trick. "You know, Killua, I think you and Elina are actually very close. So close that I feel like I'm interrupting you two. I don't want to be the third wheel so when you two need time alone-"

And before he could finish, a pillow came flying, aiming for his face. Luckily, Gon predicted this and dodged in the very last second. He was about to continue teasing but what Killua said next, made him reconsider that.

"Continue if you _dare_."

* * *

Elina stood there with her mouth slightly gaped open. She blinked once, twice, and finally the third time. "...What happened to your face?" she inquired with a worried expression.

Who was this question directed to? Guess. The answer should be obvious.

Gon rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "I messed with a cat and this was the result. Don't worry, as you can see, it's only a few light scratches. I'll be fine in a day or two."

 _A cat?_ Elina eyed the silver-haired boy who was standing beside the injured one. Gon, who followed Elina's line of sight, noticed that she was staring at Killua and hurriedly tried to change the topic. "Oh yeah, Elina, what would you like for breakfast? Killua and I were about to call for room service. Wanna join us?"

Elina grinned at his thoughtfulness. "Sure!"

She entered the room and the three gathered around the table to decide on their order. Once they did, room service was called. Fifteen minutes later, a knock on the door was heard. The trio rushed to the door and got their respective meals. They brought it back into the room and chatted happily as the ate, disregarding how random their conversations were.

"Oh yeah, guys, when are your birthdays?" Gon inquired all of a sudden.

"Why do you ask?" replied the two.

The boy shrugged. "Why not? Mine is May 5th."

Elina looked up from her food. _He's older than me?_ "July 28."

"July 7th," answered Killua.

"Eh?" Gon's jaw dropped. "You both are younger than me? It didn't seem that way at all..."

Simultaneously, the younger two rolled their eyes. "You're older than us? Who would've thought? It didn't seem that way at all."

"Geez, don't mock me. I was being serious."

Elina raised an eyebrow. "You were?"

"Of course not."

And with that said, the trio burst into laughter.

* * *

Shutting the door, Elina turned to Killua with a troubled expression. "Great, Gon's birthday is right around the corner. What are we going to do?"

The assassin shrugged. "Why are you asking me?"

"Cause why not?"

"Well, you've asked the worse person possible. When have I ever celebrate someone's else birthday other than my family's?"

Elina pointed at herself. "Mine?"

Killua snorted. " _Other_ than yours and your family's?"

"In that case, none."

"Well, there you have it. Besides, shouldn't you have a better idea on what to do than me?"

"Probably..." Under normal circumstances, Elina would've said 'yes', but due to the environment she was brought up in, she never really had the chance to interact with guys around her age, much less to celebrate their birthday. Of course, there were some exceptions and one of them was the boy beside her.

Noticing the female's inner turmoil, Killua heaved a sigh. "Just do whatever we did on our birthday. A cake and some presents."

"A cake? Got it. But a present? What kind?"

Instantly, Killua went quiet.

* * *

In a blink of an eye, it was May 5th, Gon's birthday. The boy was currently on his way to Wing's place to celebrate. At first, the party was meant to be a surprise, but Gon somehow caught onto his friends' plan and cornered them to spill the beans.

Upon his arrival, Wing greeted him and led him into the living room. The moment the birthday boy stepped into the living room, the sound of party poppers filled the air as confetti rained down like snow. Standing in the middle of the room were Killua, Elina, and Zushi. The three exchanged glances before exclaiming, "Happy 13th Birthday, Gon!"

Gon beamed brightly at his friends. "Thank you!" Never in his life had he celebrated his birthday with his friends. He had none on Whale Island. However, that's no longer the case.

After Gon seated himself at the head of the table, Wing turned off the lights. Once the birthday song was sung, a wish was made, and the candles were blown out, the lights were turned back on. Hence, the feast began. Gon took a huge bite of the cake and promptly, his brown eyes twinkled. "Wow! This tastes so good!" He turned to the raven-haired girl. "Did you make this?"

Elina nodded. "I'm glad you like it!"

"You should also try the food," suggested Zushi. "It tastes just as good. Especially the chicken."

Taking up the offer, Gon popped a piece of chicken into his mouth. "You're right! It's so good!" Once again, he turned to Elina. "I could eat your food for a year and not get bored." Everyone laughed at his comment.

Wing, who sat across the table from Elina, wore a gentle smile and praised, "I'm impressed that you can cook so well for your age."

"Thank you."

Killua, who sat next to her, rolled his eyes. He never liked it when Elina received compliments from others. Why? He's unsure himself. Something about it just didn't feel right. However, at the same time, the assassin looked forward to Elina's reaction when she receives _too_ many compliments. That would be a sight to behold.

Elina was brought up in an environment where she received compliments on a daily basis. Whether it's a simple compliment, cheesy compliment, or anything of that sort, she would simply smile. Flattering her would get you nowhere. However, once in a blue moon, her smile would fade and a dust of pink would hover over her cheeks.

Wanting to see that expression, Killua decided to tease the girl. "You know, since you're such a great cook, I bet you'll be a wonderful _wife_ in the future." He said this ever-so-casually.

It took the girl a moment to process those words and when it finally sunk in, a light blush crept up her cheeks. The sudden warmness around her face caused her to lower her gaze onto her lap. One would've thought Elina wasn't the shy type, but in truth, she actually was.

The assassin didn't expect to get a reaction so soon, not that he was complaining. His deep blue eyes glinted with mischievousness as he rambled more compliments while others simply watched on the sideline. At this point, Killua wasn't the only one who looked forward to Elina's reaction.

A few more compliments did the trick.

Abruptly, the raven-haired girl looked up from her lap at Killua and plead, "Stop, no more… It's embarrassing..." Her voice was a bit shaky but nevertheless, clear. By now, her light blush has taken a deeper shade.

Killua felt his heart skipped a beat but he swore it was only his imagination. He opened his mouth to speak but no words came out. Awkward silence enveloped the two. It was Wing who popped in to help out. "Elina, can you get more drinks from the fridge? We're running out."

Nodding, she scurried into the kitchen. As soon as she was out of sight, Gon leaned towards Killua and whispered, "You didn't have to tease her that much. Now I feel bad for her."

The silver-haired hummed softly. Shortly, Elina returned with more drinks. She seemed to have reverted back to normal since her blush has subsided. The awkwardness encircling her and Killua also faded as the party continued.

Finally, when the hour hand landed on nine, it was present time. Wing went first and gave Gon a new backpack. The color was the same but the size was slightly bigger and there were more pockets.

Zushi went second and his present was a white elastic sports headband. Next in line was Elina. Her present was a box of gripping tape for Gon's fishing rod. She noticed how worn out the tape were and decided it was time for a change. Finally, it was Killua's turn. The assassin scratched the back of his head sheepishly and shoved his gift into Gon's hands. "I don't know if it's your taste but here."

Gon grinned at the present box in his hands. "No matter what you give me, I'll definitely like it." With that said, he unwrapped the present and slowly, his eyes widened. A certain memory from the hunter exam resurfaced in his mind as he stared at his gift.

It was a skateboard. The deck was green and the design were trees.

Gon stared in awe at his unexpected present and before he knew it, he was already hugging Killua. "Thank you so much! I love it!"

The silver-haired boy flushed slightly at Gon's sudden action but quickly recovered. His deep blue eyes softened as his lips curled into a smile. "I'm glad you like it."

"Yeah, I love it!" Gon broke the hug and the two locked eyes before performing a fist bump.

This moment was very sweet but sadly it was interrupted by a cough. Everyone turned their attention to Wing. "Don't get excited just yet, there's actually one more present left."

Gon's jaw dropped. "There's more?!"

"Yes, there's more. Now listen carefully to what I had to say."

Gon gulped anxiously as he listened carefully. "According to our promise, you were forbidden to do two things. They were, to learn Nen and to participate in any match. I wanted you to focus solely on your recovery. However, it seems like I've underestimated your recovery speed. Although there is still a week and a half left, I've decided to end our promise early. In two day, you can start training with Zushi. Take this as your final birthday present."

The greenish black-haired boy couldn't believe his ear. "Really?! Do you mean it?"

"Yes, I do."

Given the confirmation, Gon pumped his fist into the air and did a happy dance as he exclaimed, "Yes! I can finally learn Nen!"

Little did he know that it took his two friends a lot of work to convince a certain man with glasses to end the promise early.

* * *

There, it's finally done!

I'm very thankful to all the readers who commented their opinion on the previous chapter. It was very helpful!

What does everyone think of this chapter? I hope the beginning wasn't weird and that I didn't go overboard with the interactions Killua and Elina had. It didn't overshadow Gon's Birthday, right? Please say no…

By the way, did the presents Gon received made any sense? XD

What present would you give Gon?

Many thanks to: MarianaFAN, Miriam Cruz, MadreaderBoguswriter, Lady Bell, Sunrise Glimmer, LoveGodLokiAndCaptainCold, Little Didith, and LangLup!

Cya all next time! Also, belated Happy Halloween!

Yes, I know, I'm super duper late x.x


	18. Sadaso

Chapter 18

Two days have passed since Gon's birthday and finally, the trio began learning Nen under Wing's teaching. The day started off with Wing explaining how he knew Gon kept his promise. The answer was Nen. Specifically, Wing applied his Nen onto the thread so if Gon used Nen, the thread would've snapped.

Currently, Wing and his students were watching a recording of Hisoka's match against Kastro. Pausing the recording, Wing asked, "Can you see the threads of aura extending from Hisoka's left hand?"

The three boys examined the screen and shook their head. Wing then turned to his only female student. "What about you, Elina?"

"I can see it."

Hearing this, three heads shifted her way. "Are you sure?" Gon squinted his eyes and stared at the TV. "I still see nothing."

"It's not good to lie," commented Zushi.

Elina chuckled. "I'm not though."

Zushi opened his mouth to reply but a light smack on the head stopped him for doing so. Looking up, the brunette saw his master with the remote control. "Don't be rude, Zushi. Out of you four, Elina is most knowledgeable in Nen. You all should learn from her."

Killua subconsciously raised an eyebrow when he heard this. _Learn from her? How advanced is she?_ The assassin was about to voice his question but sadly, Wing began talking again. "Hisoka used a technique that made his aura hard to perceive. It's a high-level application of Zestu, known as In. By using In, even the strongest opponents will find it hard to see your aura. To counter In, use Gyo, a technique where you focus the aura created by Ren into your eyes." He turned to Gon and Killua. "My assignment for you two is to practice Ren until you can see through Hisoka's In."

"Eh?" Zushi's eyes widened. "What about me? Should I do the same?"

"No, you should already be strong enough to see past Hisoka's In."

Zushi couldn't believe his ear. _Me? Strong enough?_ "Really?"

Wing nodded. "Show us your Ren."

Although confused, Zushi did what he was told. At the sight of Zushi's Ren, Gon and Killua exchanged knowing glances. They both were thinking the same thing. _Amazing, his aura is so dense and powerful!_

Wing hummed in approval. "Good. Now direct that aura into your eyes and tell me how many threads are there."

"Osu!" Slowly but surely, Zushi directed Ren into his eyes. "There are twelve, no, thirteen threads." With that said, Zushi released Ren with sweats trickling down his face. Using Gyo was already difficult but maintaining it was even harder.

"You were close, Zushi. How many do you see, Elina?"

"Fifteen," she answered. Wing nodded in approval.

"How?!" exclaimed Gon. "You used Gyo? But you didn't use Ren like Zushi did."

"I did use Ren. You just didn't sense it," stated Elina. "It's kind of hard to explain."

"But I want to know~" whined Gon. He was really curious about what Elina did. It was Wing who decided to explain what happened. "In order to achieve what Elina did, you've all gotta practice. Gyo is one of Ren applications. By practicing Ren, using Gyo become natural. Eventually, you'll be able to use Gyo while fighting and your opponent wouldn't even know. This is because the process from Ren to Gyo happened so naturally that your opponent is unable to sense your Ren. Do you understand now, Gon?"

"Yes!"

"Alright then, let me change the assignment. Zushi, Gon, and Killua, practice Ren and master Gyo. Elina, help them out. Although training is important, make sure to have fun and enjoy life at the same time."

"Osu!"

* * *

Great, just wonderful. After returning to Heavens Arena, the moment the four arrived on the 200th floor and stepped out of the elevator, they ran into three unwelcomed guests. "You guys sure don't know when to quit," Killua grimaced.

Sadaso, the man with only one arm, shrugged. "Don't be like that. Just tell us when you're going to fight. I'd love to be your opponent. As a service, I'll even demonstrate my power for you."

Gon clenched his fist and took a step forward. "I'm fighting on June 10th."

Sadaso shook his head. "That won't work. My deadline is May 29th."

"Who cares about your deadline!" hissed Killua. With that said, he urged his friend to continue walking. When they walked past Sadaso and the others, Gon looked over his shoulder. The smile on Sadaso's face sent shivers down his spine.

Finally, when the four finally entered Gon's room, Killua punched the wall. "Geez, they're so annoying."

"They sure were," agreed Elina. "But now that's over with, you guys should start practicing." There were no complaints and rightaway, the boys began practicing Ren. Elina watched in awe. _Such concentration…_ She should be practicing as well but she was in the mood to be lazy.

When the sun began to set, practiced ended. Zushi was the one who called it a day. The three were so concentrated that didn't even realize Elina was missing. That afternoon, when Zushi returned back to his lodging, he got-

* * *

Elina's eyes widened when she turned the corner and entered an alley. Standing before her was a silver-haired boy with a brunette on his back. "...Killua?"

Hearing his name, the assassin turned to face the owner of the voice. Seeing it was Elina, he smiled and greeted her back. "Oh, hey, Elina. Where were you?"

"I went shopping for some drinks," she answered. "Did something happened while I was gone?"

Killua shrugged. "Nothing much. I was just talking with some b*stards that weren't playing by the rules. "

 _B*stards? He must be talking the newbie crushers. From the look of it, they probably tried to kidnap Zushi_. "Is Zushi alright?"

"Yeah. He's just unconscious. I'm bringing him back to Wing. Can you check up on Gon?"

Elina nodded and left immediately. Killua watched her back fade into the distance before heading to Wing's place. _Living a clean life sure is hard_... "But if he breaks the promise, he will pay."

The next morning, it was confirmed. The promise between Killua and Sadaso was broken. Upon entering Wing's place, Killua spotted Gon right away. "Wing," he called. "Can I watch the recording again? I've learned how to use Gyo." The news surprised everyone.

Once the disk was inserted into the DVD player, Killua used Gyo and started explaining about Hisoka's ability. "Fifteen threads, right? Thirteen on the cards, one on the scarf, and a well-hidden one on his severed arm. Hisoka's aura appears to expand and contract or perhaps attract certain objects, similar to a magnet. I think it's the former. Hisoka's aura is elastic, like rubber. That would explain most of his tricks."

When the Killua was done with his explanation, the room went silent. Zushi's jaw dropped. _He's on a completely different level!_

Wing was shocked as well. Killua's explanation was as good as it can get. _He really is talented_. "Alright, you pass too. Seriously, I can't believe you both learn Gyo overnight."

"Both?" Killua turned to Gon ."You did too?"

Gon scratched the back of his head. "Yeah, but unlike you, I couldn't figure out Hisoka's ability."

Wing smiled at the two boys. "Well, now that you both cleared your assignment. I assume you both want to fight, right? Have the date been decided?"

"Yes. I'm fighting on May 29th," answered Killua.

"Mine is May 30th," stated Gon.

"Alright then, go ahead. But wow, not only did you two learn Gyo overnight, the three of you choose to fight on three consecutive days."

"The three of us?" questioned Gon.

"Yup. Elina dropped by this morning and said she was fighting on May 28th."

Gon and Killua exchanged knowing glances. They thanked Wing for the information before rushing back to Heavens Arena. On their way back, Gon furrowed his eyebrows. "Not only did they threatened me, they also threatened you and Elina. Now I'm mad. I'll never forgive them if they use Zushi again."

Killua narrowed his eyes and smirked inwardly. "It'll be fine, Gon. You don't need to worry. I'll take care of it."

* * *

Finally, May 28th, the day has arrived. Sadaso woke up early to prepare for his match against Elina. The match starts in three hours, at noon. Staring at the mirror and marveling over his reflection, Sadaso's lip curled into a creepy smile. "Today, I'll beat Elina-chan for my sixth win. Tomorrow, I'll beat Killua-chan for my seventh win. Lastly, the day after that, I'll beat Gon-chan for my eighth win. Then I just need to find two more newbies and crush them. Then I'll finally become the floor master!" Sadaso cracked a low, evil laugh. "It won't be long until I get to bathe in wealth and glory!"

Sadaso was so absorbed with his fantasy that he failed to notice the figure emerging from the shadow. Suddenly, a knife slashed Sadaso's head into two. No, to more precise, Sadaso felt a knife had slashed his head into two. Before he knew it, a silver-haired boy appeared behind him. Without hesitation, Killua aimed the tip of the knife above Sadaso's head. "Move, and I'll kill you. Use Nen, and I'll kill you. Make a sound, and I'll kill you. If you understand, close your eyes."

Sadaso did what he was told. He dare not move, use Nen, nor make a sound. The instant he noticed Killua, he saw the boy's dead eyes. Not a speck of light was seen. There was only darkness.

"Do you know what happens if you break your promise? If you know, open your eyes. Look at me in the mirror and listen carefully."

Beads of cold sweat trickled down Sadaso's chin as he opened his eyes.

" _Never_ show your filthy face in front of us again. That's a _promise_."

That day, Elina won the match by default. It was the same for Killua and Gon on their respective day. From that day on, Sadaso was never seen by the trio.

* * *

For the next three days, from June 1st to June 3rd, the trio spend all their time training for their match on June 4th. Gon and Elina were facing Gido whereas Killua was facing Riehlvelt. In the blink of an eye, the long-awaited day has arrived.

Gon was battling Gido first. He couldn't wait for his rematch. Unlike his previous match against Gido, this time he was carrying a fishing rod and actually plans on winning. When the referee declared the match has begun, Gon instantly dashed at Gido to land an attack. However, it was too late. Gido has already started spinning like a top.

Gon immediately stopped in his steps and bit his lip. Seeing that Gon had stopped moving, Gido smirked and used an ability called _Shotgun Blues_. Tops shot out from underneath Gido's cloak and aimed for Gon. "Unlike _Battle Waltz_ , this ability allows my tops to aim exactly at you. Dodge if you can!"

At the incoming tops, Gon hollered, "Ren!" When contact was made, clouds of smoke were created from the impact. Slowly, the smoke started to fade and once it did, the crowd went wild. Gon, with his head held high, stood proudly on the ring. "Behold, everyone! He's unscratched!" cheered the announcer.

"Nice!" Killua and Elina gave each other a high five.

"With Gon's reflex, he could've knocked down all the tops. Instead, he used Ren to deal more physiological damage. He must be pretty mad at them for using Zushi to threaten us."

Elina hummed softly. _Then again, what's with the sense of dejavu? Psychological damage? Gon basically did what Hisoka did to Kastro… Geez,_

 _Hisoka's such a bad influence._

Returning to the match, Gon took a step forward and swung his fishing rod. To the audience's surprise, his attack missed. However, Gon wasn't aiming at Gido, instead, he was aiming at the floor tile Gido was spinning on. With a bit of adjustment, the hook latched onto the targeted floor tile. Once that was done, all that's left to do is pull. Gon did exactly that and the floor tile was sent flying. Gido, who lost his balance, crashed onto the floor. Before Gido could recompose himself, Gon appeared with his fist and smashed Gido's peg. "If you lay your hand on Zushi once more, I'll smash your face!"

With Gido unable to continue fighting, Gon was declared as the winner. The crowd cheered their lungs out. When Gon returned to his seat, Killua greeted him smile but Elina greeted him with a frown. Gon was confused at first but it suddenly hit him. Elina's opponent was Gido as well. Now that Gido's peg was broken, there's no way he could attend his match against Elina. "Sorry! I was so mad that I forgot you were going to fight him too."

"Hmph!" Elina crossed her arms and pouted. "Great, now I have two wins. _Both_ from _default_."

"Sorry, Elina. I really am. I'll you treat you to anything if you forgive me."

"Anything? You sure?"

"Um… Nothing too expensive please?"

"Then no."

Immediately, Gon dropped his head in defeat. Seeing this, Elina couldn't help but giggle. "Sorry, Gon. I'm just messing with you. You don't have to treat me to anything."

Hearing this, the older boy heaved a relieved sigh. "Thank goodness, I wouldn't know what to do if you're actually mad. Also, please spare me from your jokes. I can't even tell if you're joking or not."

"But that's what makes it fun," stated Elina.

"It's not fun for me," cried Gon.

Elina shrugged. "But it's fun for me." With that said, she stood up and headed for the ring. "I'll be back in fifteen minutes."

Exactly fifteen minutes later, Elina was declared as the winner. On her way back to her seat, she saw Killua coming down the stairs. "Make sure you win," she whispered.

The assassin snorted. "Of course."

"Don't injure him too badly. He's my opponent for tomorrow."

"No promises."

* * *

Hello, everyone! Sorry for not updating for three weeks :(

I was caught up with my scholarship essays… Anyway, I'm back for the time being.

Also, I something to share. Drumroll please~

Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, **Eternal** has reached 50+ followers, 50+ favorites, and 25+ reviews! Thank you so much everyone! I could've never done it without you!

Many thanks to: Silviekins, Listless Lime, Karla Cipher, JorrvaskrnMusicWolf, and Flamingtailspin!

MarianaFAN: Enjoy!

Elisablackcat: Whenever Elina is in the picture, Killua can't think straight ;)

Thanks for reading and until next time!


	19. Side Story: Christmas Much?

Side Story: A Christmas Special

"Holiday music, nope. A Christmas tree, nope. Hot cocoa and cake, nope. Presents, nope. Lastly, the long-awaited snow… Still no…" _This year's Christmas is so boring._ The raven-haired girl heaved a sigh as she stared blankly out the window of Heavens Arena. Just then, a voice came from behind. "What are you muttering by yourself?"

Recognizing the voice, Elina looked over her shoulder with a pout. "It's all our fault, Killua."

"What did I do?!"

"If your schedule wasn't so full, we could've celebrated Christmas."

The assassin rolled his eyes. "It's not like I get to decide when to have my matches. Not to mention, you were busy with your matches as well. Then again, it's only Christmas. There's always next year."

"But I wanted to celebrate _this_ year's Christmas with you!" Elina dropped her head onto the table. "Killua, you don't understand a girl's heart..."

"Why, thank you. Like I didn't know that already." With a huff, the assassin exited the lounge and headed to his own room.

A few minutes later, Elina felt a thug from behind. Immediately, she snapped her head around to see had the nerves to bother her. Of course, it was Killua. The silver-haired boy pointed at the clock. "We still have a few hours left before Christmas end. You wanna go out for a walk?"

Elina blinked. _Did I hear that correctly?_ "Are you inviting me out?"

"Not really."

"You do you know that it's not safe for seven years old to wander around in the dark, right?"

Killua felt his eyes twitched. "Is that a _yes_ or a _no_?"

"It's obviously a yes." Elina jumped out of her seat and grabbed Killua by the hand. "Let's go then." But before the two could exit the lounge, Killua stopped in his steps. He pointed at Elina's clothes and asked, "Are you sure you wanna go out like that?"

Elina looked down at herself. She wore a white hoodie, black leggings, and a pair of black knee-high boots. She returned her attention back to Killua and nodded, "I think I'll be fine." Hence, the two left Heavens Arena.

Outside the Arena, the mood was definitely more jolly. Christmas carols waltzed the air, colorful streetlights shone like stars, the smell of sweets roamed the streets, last but not least, smiles were plastered on everyone's face.

Upon arriving at the central plaza, Elina quickly pointed at the giant Christmas tree. "Let's a picture with the tree in the background."

Killua groaned. Although pictures were not his thing, he didn't want to upset Elina again so he went along with the suggestion. Luckily, there was a group of cameramen right by the tree so finding someone to take the photo was easy. Once the picture was taken, the cameraman handed the photo to Elina before leaving.

After that, the two explored the plaza. They visited various stalls and shops. Ate various food and played various games. Before they knew it, the clock struck eleven. "It's about time we head back," stated Killua. He looked over his shoulder to call for his partner but stopped when he saw her gazing at something through the display window. It was a snowflake necklace.

"Do you want it?" he asked, walking up to her. Elina shook her head.

"If you want it, I'll buy it for you as a Christmas present. There's no need to hold back. It's not like we're lacking money."

Elina shook her head once again. "It's fine," she said. "I don't want it."

"Then why were you looking at it so lovingly?"

"Oh, that?" Elina chuckled. "It's because of the color."

"The color?" Killua studied the necklace once more. _True, the color is nice. A beautiful cool blue_ … _Wait… Why do I feel like I've seen this color somewhere before?_

"It's the same color as your eyes," noted Elina with a smile.

 _No wonder it seems familiar._ "You really don't want it?"

Elina nodded firmly. "Yup, I don't. Instead, let's hurry back. I'm freezing."

"That's what you get for wearing so little." With a sigh, Killua took off his blue scarf and wrapped it around Elina's neck. "There. This should help a bit."

Surprised by his actions, Elina downcasted her gaze. "Thank you..." Killua smirked at her shy reaction. He would tease her but he'll pass for tonight.

Shortly, the two began to return to Heavens Arena. On their way back, Elina began talking to herself. "Holiday music, check. A Christmas tree, check. Cake and cocoa, check. A present, check. Snow, not check but I'm cold so it's fine."

Killua laughed at the last line. "If there was snow, it would've been a White Christmas. Also, I don't think I gave you a present so isn't that another 'not check'?"

Elina shook her head. "It's the thoughts that matter. Besides…" She pointed at the scarf she was wearing. "I'm considering this as a present."

 _So you're saying that you prefer a scarf over a necklace?_ "You're not making any sense… Geez, this is why I don't get girls…"

* * *

Merry Belated Christmas and an early Happy New Year! I hope everyone enjoyed this side story! I apologize for the delay. I got sick on Christmas and have been resting. I even went to the hospital :(

Many thanks to: Nycel, YaoiLovinKitsune, Fabsflikka, AS-YURA, FictionalAffluency19, GGPD, Jecas008, Kanaire, Raylaroo, SylpheKuro, Wolfie000, Bloodyhell99, TokkiKANA, MethodicChaos, PwoperSeth, Zephyranthus, Islaydragons, Rikichancute, and Ymo1002

Until next time~


	20. Water Divination

Chapter 19

"Begin!"

Instantly, Killua set off. He jumped into the air and did two beautiful turns before arriving behind Riehlvelt. The moment he was about to perform a neck chop, Riehlvelt used _Aura Burst_ and dashed across the ring.

"There it is! _Aura Burst!_ By releasing his stored aura and using his propulsion skills, Riehlvelt can travel with great speed and still control his wheelchair at will. What an amazing skill!" exclaimed the announcer.

 _Tch._ Killua clicked his tongue. _I jumped too high_.

"Go, Killua!" shouted a voice. It belonged to Gon. "You can do it!"

The assassin turned toward the direction of Gon's' voice. Although he couldn't see Gon, he waved in that general direction. While Killua was distracted, Riehlvelt took out two black whips and swung them around in a rapid motion.

"There it is! Another ability of Riehlvelt's. _Twin Snakes: Song of Defense_! This is a technique where he swings two whips at a ridiculous speed to protect himself as he waits for an opportunity to strike!" informed the announcer.

"Now that I've switched to this stance, you have no chance of winning!" Riehlvelt shouted.

Killua tilted his head. "Why?"

"That should be obvious. A normal person can't even see these whips' movements! Furthermore, because the ring is so small, you can never escape!" Riehlvelt smirked as he locked eyes with the younger male. "You're going down!"

The moment those words left Riehlvelt's mouth, Killua heaved a tired sigh. _Let's just get the match over with_. Hence, the silver-haired boy began walking toward Riehlvelt. Riehlvelt aimed his whips at Killua but suddenly, his eyes widened. "Impossible!" To Riehlvelt's surprise, Killua caught both whips with ease.

The assassin smirked. "Sorry, but I'm _not_ a normal person."

Instantly, the crowd went wild. This was the first time anyone has caught Riehlvelt's whips. Such an unexpected turn of event. People began cheering, yelling, and whistling whereas Elina was squealing. Gon watched her with a smile. _She's really enjoying herself._ "You're really cute when you act your age, Elina. Did you know that?"

The raven-haired girl playfully rolled her eyes. "Despite your personality, you have a really sweet mouth, Gon. Did _you_ know that?"

The two stared at each other for a moment before bursting into laughter. Shortly, they returned their attention back onto the match. While they were chatting, Killua happened to be getting electrocuted.

Gon winced at the painful sight. "Will Killua be ok?" His voice carried a hint of worry.

"No worries, he'll be fine," reassured Elina. "I'm more worry about his opponent."

Gon tilted his head, confused. Luckily, his confusion didn't last long. Before he knew it, Riehlvelt was high up in the air and a second later, Riehlvelt was on way his down.

"I'm accustomed to electrical currents because of the torture training I've always endured. Electricity has no effect on me. However, that only means I can bear the pain. It still hurts." _That's why I'm a little pissed._ Killua looked up at the falling Riehlvelt and shouted, "If you fall from that height, you'll die! What do you want to do?"

Covered in tears and snots, Riehlvelt pleaded at the top of his lung. "P-Please catch me!"

Once again, Killua smirked. "Okay. Just come to me!"

Although sparks of electricity danced around Killua, most of the electrical current enveloped his body. Being caught by the assassin would only mean one thing, getting _electrocuted_. By the time Riehlvelt realized this, he had already lost all hope. Before he knew it, a screeching cry escaped from his mouth and promptly, his consciousness darkened.

With Riehlvelt unconscious, Killua was declared as the winner. The assassin pumped his fist into the air causing the crowd to go wild once more. Just like before, Elina was squealing. Gon noticed the sparkles in Elina's eyes as she watched Killua exited the ring. "You really like Killua, don't you?"

At the sudden question, a dust of pink overtook the female's cheeks. Perhaps it was because of Killua's and Elina's influence, Gon found himself teasing his friends quite often. He expected Elina to deny his remark but that wasn't the case.

With eyes of a maiden in love and a shy smile, Elina hummed softly. "Yes, I like him."

Hearing such an earnest confession, Gon couldn't help but feel embarrassed. _Even though I was the one who asked her the question…_ Gon dropped his head in defeat. "I'm guessing I should keep this conversation as a secret from Killua?"

Elina nodded. "Yes, please. I would really appreciate it if you did."

"Alright, got it. My lips are seal."

With that said, the two chuckled and entwined their pinky fingers to seal the deal.

* * *

The next day, it was Elina's debut match on the 200th floor. Yesterday was Killua's. Luckily, Riehlvelt managed to recover in one day or else Elina would've won by default again. Upon entering the ring, she bowed at the referee and the waved at the audience. Unlike Riehlvelt, Elina was completely relaxed.

Compared to Gon and Killua, Riehlvelt did not have a single piece of information on Elina. As a cautious man, the moment the battle began, Riehlvelt took out his two whips. _First, I need to maintain the distance between us. There's no way she'll be able to handle the electrical current. When the time comes, I'll use that to finish her off._ With that in mind, Riehlvelt used _Twin Snakes: Song of Defense._

Five minutes later, Elina has yet made a move. The raven-haired girl remained frozen in her spot. Riehlvelt took this as a positive sign. _She probably does not know what to do._ He was about to use _Aura Burst_ to charge straight at her when suddenly, she vanished.

In the blink of an eye, Elina appeared before Riehlvelt. Her movements were swift and powerful. She grabbed Riehlvelt's wrists and stopped the movements of his whips. The moment the whips dropped onto the floor, Elina punched Riehlvelt in the stomach and did an axe kick. It was an instant KO! Elina was then declared as the winner and exited the stage.

The moment she returned to Gon and Killua, they both gave her a high five. "That was amazing! Before I knew it, you got through his _Song of Defense_!" Gon beamed brightly. "How did you do that?"

Elina giggled at his enthusiasm. "I simply dodged his whips and dashed right at him. After all, speed if my forte. The speed of those whips means nothing to me."

Gon's eyes twinkled. "I can't wait to fight him as well!"

"Do you have a plan?" inquired his friends.

Gon nodded with confidence. "You bet!" He then turned to Killua. "How about you? Do you have a plan against Gido? You're fighting him on June 9th, right? That's four days from now."

The assassin shrugged. "Nope, I don't really have a plan, but I doubt Gido will show up. Repairing a peg does take some time."

Gon thought to himself for a moment and nodded. "You're right. I guess you'll be winning by default then."

And so, four days later, just like they've predicted, Gido failed to show up for the match, thus, Killua was declared as the winner by default.

The following day, June 10th, Gon faced Riehlvelt. The match ended pretty fast. It was also one-sided with Gon being the victor. A short summary of the match would be Gon throwing a floor tile at Riehlvelt, resulting the guy to use _Aura Burst_ to dodge. However, Gon predicted this and blocked Riehlvelt's escape route. Similar to what Elina did, Gon then grabbed Riehlvelt's wrists to stop the whips' movements. After that was the highlight of the match. Gon used the whips on Riehlvelt and threatened to turn on the electrical current. The thought of getting electrocuted _twice_ scared Riehlvelt out of his wits, thus, he fainted.

On Gon's way back to his friends, he found a poker card stuck onto the wall. Immediately, Gon knew who it was from. He pulled the poker card out of the wall and noticed there was a message. It read: "Feel free to pick date and place. I shall be your opponent."

* * *

That night, after returning to Wing's place, Gon and the others began learning Hatsu. "Hatsu is the technique by which you control your Nen. It's the culmination of Nen and there are six distinct categories. Enhancers are able to strengthen objects. Emitters can propel their aura. Transmuters can alter the quality of their aura. Conjurers are able to manifest their aura. Manipulators can use their aura to control objects and creatures. Lastly, Specialists are those with an aura that doesn't fall within the other five classes."

"Nen is linked to the individual's ability with two areas of particular prominence. The first would be your natural potential and the second would be the refined potential. For example, Gon was born with a flexible, springy body. However, his acute senses were the product of a childhood spent in nature. From the moment of birth, your Nen aura falls within one of the six categories. Although rare, it's possible for your Nen aura to change later on in life. Anyway, the main thing is that if you attempt to learn an ability that does not fit your inclination, you will find it very difficult."

With that said, Wing drew a hexagon and labelled each corner with a Nen class. "The closer a class is to your own, the higher the compatibility to learn it. For example, if you're an Enhancer, you'll find Enhancer abilities easiest to learn. The adjacent classes, Transmuter and Emitter, will also be easy to learn. On the other hand, the Specialist class, which is furthest away, would be the most difficult."

Gon raised his hand. "Can you give some examples?"

Wing thought for a moment before nodding. "Let's take Kastro as an example. Kastro's an Enhancer but because he chose to create a double, which is a Conjurer skill, he also required abilities from the Manipulator class to control the double. However, both of those classes are relatively far from the Enhancer class. As a result, Kastro was killed by Hisoka. "

"Basically, he made the wrong choice," Killua stated.

"Bluntly put, yes." Wing wasn't gonna deny it. If only Kastro focused on his own class, he would've been a great Nen user. "Do you now see the importance of understanding your own aura?"

His four students nodded. Killua then raised his hand. "Is there a way to learn which category your aura falls into?"

Wing smiled. "Yes, there is." With that said, Wing got a wine glass, filled it with water, and then placed a leaf in the center. "This is called the Water Divination, a Shingen-Ryu technique for classifying auras. It's also used in Hatsu training. You'll need to place your hands beside the cup and use Ren. The result will reveal your category."

For teaching purposes, Wing did a demonstration. He placed his hands beside the wine glass and used Ren. The level of water increased. "As you can see, the volume of water changed, hence, I am an enhancer."

Gon's eyes twinkled. "Can I go next?"

Wing nodded. Immediately, Gon placed his hands around the wine glass and used Ren. The result was the same as Wing's. "So you're also an Enhancer," noted Killua.

Next was Zushi. He was deemed to be a Manipulator because the leaf moved. As for Killua, he was a Transmuter because the taste of the water changed. Finally, it was Elina's turn. The raven-haired girl turned to Wing and inquired. "For your information, I'm a Specialist. Do I still need to do the Water Divination?"

"I would love to see your result," answered Wing.

Elina heaved a sigh. Reluctantly, she placed her hands beside the wine glass and used Ren. Promptly, a sweet smell came from the water as the color changed from clear to pale blue. The water level rose and tiny crystals formed at the bottom of the glass. At the same time, the leaf began turning in a circular motion.

When Elina stopped using Ren, Wing examined the wine glass in awe. He was so absorbed by the result that he almost forgot he was still teaching. Clearing his throat, Wing recomposed himself. "My assignment for everyone is to spend the next four weeks training so your result from the Water Divination become more pronounced."

Once the assignment as given, Wing took out his wallet and handed it to Zushi. "Although it's a bit late for dinner, go out and buy some food to eat. It's not healthy to skip meals. I'm trusting you with my wallet. Spend it wisely with everyone"

Zushi's eyes twinkled. "Osu! I will!"

Gon and Killua pumped their fist into the air. "Let's go food!"

The three boys instantly changed into their outerwear and hurried to the door. Before they exited, Gon noticed Elina hasn't changed. "Are you not coming, Elina?"

Elina shook her head. "I'm a bit tired. Just get me something on your way back."

With that said, Gon and the others exited, leaving Elina and Wing behind.

* * *

With Gon and the others gone, Wing finally got down to business with Elina. Specialist are rare. Their result from the Water Divination always interest many people and Wing was one of them. "Alright, please go ahead and use Ren."

Elina nodded. She took a deep breath before placing her hands beside the wine glass. The moment she used Ren, a particular smell enveloped the room. Similar to previously, the smell was sweet… but this time, the smell held a different kind of sweetness. Sweet but metallic. The smell of blood, but not quite.

Suddenly, the leaf that was spinning rapidly in a circular motion incinerated into ashes. Following that, the ashes dissolved into the water, changing the color. It went from grey, to black, before settling at a scarlet red… then _boom_!

The glass cracked. Scarlet liquid gushed free onto the table, traveling down the legs until it arrived at the floor.

"Stop! That's enough!" cried Wing as he hurriedly grabbed a rag to wipe away the mess. Once he was done, he threw away the cracked wine glass and checked to see if there were any glass shards around the area. Once everything was clear, Wing let out a relieved sigh.

He glanced at the raven-haired girl who had downcasted her gaze. He couldn't believe his eyes. _It took her less than a minute for the glass to crack. Her_ Ren _is unbelievably strong… From here on, she'll only get stronger… What a terrifying monster._

Elina gripped the helm of her shorts as she muttered, "Sorry…" Her voice trembled and was barely audible.

Hearing her apology, Wing's eyes widened. He felt a pang of remorse for thinking such thoughts. _What am I thinking?! A terrifying monster she may be but she's only a child. It's only natural for her to be unable to control her power… and it's my duty to teach her._ Wing patted Elina on the head and in a gentle voice he reassured, "It's fine. I was the one who asked you to do it. Sorry for my selfish request."

He brought Elina to the couch and had her seated. He then gave her a cup of herbal tea. "Drink this. It'll help you calm down." Once Elina finished the tea, Wing gave her another pat on the head.

"I've heard from Netero about your situation with Nen and became slightly interested. I'm deeply sorry that my request made you uncomfortable. I'll love to share my thoughts with you on the matter about your Nen but I'll put that off for another day. For now, get some rest."

And so, Elina took up the offer. She laid down on the couch and slowly shut her eyes. Before she knew it, her consciousness had already faded. She was out like a light. Wing wore a faint smile when he saw Elina's sleeping face. Placing a blanket over her body, he whispered, "Goodnight…"

* * *

Now things are getting interesting! Gon v.s. Hisoka is coming up so look forward to it! Cya next update~


	21. Gon vs Hisoka

Chapter 20

Time passed by too quickly. Given four weeks to train, two weeks had already passed. At the moment, Elina was having her afternoon tea whereas the boys were training. Just then, a knock on her door was heard. _He's here._ Hurrying to the door, Elina opened it.

Wing smiled at the sight of his female student. "How are you feeling?" he asked, entering her room.

"Much better. I'm sorry for making you worry."

Wing shook his head and he seated himself at the table. "No, it was my fault for making you uncomfortable."

Elina smiled at his kind words. "Not at all, I'm used to it by now." _Or at least I should be_. She took a seat across from Wing's and poured him a cup of tea. "Should we get started?"

Wing nodded. "As you already know, Netero Chairman was the one who informed me about your Nen situation. He left out a lot of things so I have some questions. My first question would be 'can you control your state of Nen at will?'."

"Yes, I suppose I can."

"Oh?" Wing raised an eyebrow. "And how do you do that?"

Elina tilted her head. "Concentrate?" _Oops, that came out more like a question._

"That's all?" Wing was not convinced. "There's another method, right?"

"There is but-"

"Tell me about it."

Elina dropped her head in defeat. _I guess there's no way around this._ "It's blood."

Immediately, Wing's expression took a negative turn. Before he got the chance to voice his displeasure, Elina continued, "It's not as bad as you think. I only have to dye my hands with my own blood to change my state of Nen. And since my hands are small, not a lot of blood is required."

"Even so-"

Elina cut him off. "Do you have any other questions?"

Wing furrowed his eyebrows and thought for a moment. Just when he was about to ask another question, Elina spoke up again. "How about this? I'll tell you how my Nen became abnormal and in exchange, you'll stop asking me questions."

Wing took this offer into consideration. He nodded his head and gestured at Elina to begin.

"For as long as I can remember, I've always been suppressing something within me. And that, was my negative emotions. At first, it was subconscious. But even after I realized that, I couldn't help but remain that way. As time passed, it triggered a split in my personality. At times, I lose myself. The current me can be considered as friendly, kind, and gentle, but the _other_ me is dark, cynical, and ruthless. Both sides, however, can still tell the difference between friends and foe. It's just, as the _other_ me, I feel a sense of distant, emptiness, and even fear, towards the ones I love."

"As you already know, Nen is heavily influenced by the user's mental condition and emotions. Since my mental condition is unstable, it's only natural for my Nen to become abnormal." _Not that I want to admit it…_ Elina stopped for a breather. She studied Wing's expression and noticed the wrinkles on his forehead.

... _Was that too much for him to take in?_

There was a moment of silence. Finally, Wing opened his mouth. "Can I ask you one last question?" No response was given. Hence, Wing took the liberty and asked his question. "The aura you conjured during your second water divination… _That_ was your _original_ Nen, wasn't it?"

Upon this question, a hint of a smile flashed across Elina's lips.

* * *

July 10th, XXXX.

Today was _the_ day.

Killua stood excitedly before the wine glass, ready to show off his skills. Given the signal, he used Ren and minutes later, he stopped. Backing away from the table, he said, "I'm done."

With that said, the others dipped their finger into the cup and placed it into their mouth. Zushi's eyes widened. "It's sweet and tastes just like honey!"

Wing nodded in approval and turned to Zushi. "It's your turn."

"Osu!" Zushi walked up to the table, placed his hands around the wine glass, and released Ren. Minutes later, he stopped with sweats dripping down his chin. "...Sorry, but this is the best I can manage."

Wing patted the brunette on the head. "It's fine. This only means you need to train more. You'll definitely catch up one day."

"Osu! I will try my best!"

Next up was Elina. Needless to say, she passed with flying colors. Finally, last but not least, Gon went and performed the water divination. His result shocked everyone. The instant he released Ren, water gushed upward and ran down the side of the glass and onto the table. A second later, the glass cracked and more water poured out.

"Stop, Gon-kun!" Wing cried. He hurriedly grabbed a rag and wiped the table at an amazing speed. When he was done, he let out a sigh of relief. Finally, he turned to his students and with a smile, he announced that Gon, Killua, and Elina were graduating as of today. Then, with a more serious expression, he said, "Congratulations, Gon-kun and Elina-kun, you've passed the secret Hunter Exam!"

Gon titled his head at the news. "What do you mean?"

Wing began to explain. "You see, as a Hunter, you're required to learn Nen. One of the basic task as a Hunter will be apprehending evil poachers and criminals. You must be strong in order to do that. However, because Nen is so destructive, revealing its existence during the exam would be dangerous. Therefore, the test is only administrated to those passed the public exam."

After hearing Wing's explanation, Killua frowned. "What's this? So you were going to teach us, or at least Gon, all along."

Wing nodded. "Yes, and by the way, the head Shingen-Ryu master is Netero Chairman. I've learned a lot about you guys from him." He smiled at Killua. "Killua-kun, please retake the Hunter Exam. You are more than qualified. I guarantee it."

The assassin shrugged. "If I feel like it."

Suddenly, a question popped into Gon's mind. "Hey Wing-san, have you heard anything about the others who've passed?"

"Yes, I did. From what I've heard, Hanzo and Kurapika have learned Nen from other teachers. Pokkle is struggling with _Ren_ and Leorio has begun studying for the medical school entrance exam. Then there's Hisoka, Illumi, and Elina, who already knew Nen, so they were already qualified to be a Hunter."

When everything was done for the day, Gon and his friends began to leave. Before they left, Gon received a warning from Wing. "Hisoka's strong. When you fight him tonight, do _not_ push yourself."

"Got it!" And with that said, the three returned to Heavens Arena.

* * *

"A clean hit! One point for Hisoka!" yelled the referee.

The crowd cheered. Only one word can be used to describe the battle on the ring. _Intense_. No other words would do the fight justice.

Without any breaks, the intense exchange of fists continued. It was finally broken when Gon used his signature move, Stone Flip. Unlike the previous two times, Gon deliberately shattered the stone tile to create dust and a hail of rubbles. Hisoka smirked at the incoming attack. He remained fixed in his spot and merely used his hands to destroy all the rubbles that were cascading his way. When Hisoka was busy dealing with the rubbles, Gon hid behind some large pieces and waited for the moment to strike. Finally, the chance came. Before Hisoka knew what hit him, he felt his left cheek throbbed.

"Critical hit! Two points for Gon!"

That statement was all it need for the crowd to go wild. While the audience was cheering and whistling, Gon and Hisoka had paused their battle. The two stood right before each other. Gon took out something from his pocket and handed it to Hisoka. Hisoka received the item with an amused expression. It was his tag from the Hunter Exam. "How much have you learned about Nen?"

"All of the basics," Gon answered.

Hisoka hummed. "I see, so you're an Enhancer."

Gon's eyes widened. "How did you know?!"

The magician chuckled. "You're so adorable. How could you spill something so important this easily?"

Gon felt his eyebrow twitched. "Shut up. Just how did you know?"

"Nothing much, I simply used a method similar to the blood type personality test. I basically devised a way of using personality to classify aura." Hisoka pointed at Gon, "Enhancers are simple and earnest," and then at himself, "Whereas a Transmuters, like me, are fickle and dishonest. Then there are the Emitters who have short tempers, the Conjurers who are high-strung, the Manipulators who are argumentative, and the Specialists who are independent."

With that said, Hisoka appeared before Gon and elbowed the boy in the face. It was followed up by a punch and then a kick. Luckily, Gon managed to dodge the kick or else he would've gone flying, just like the stone tile that was just kicked off of the ring. Without missing a beat, Hisoka performed continuous attacks on Gon.

Gon had no choice but to run. Unfortunately, Hisoka was too fast. Gon couldn't outrun the cunny magician, instead, he received two more punches and tumbled onto the ground.

"3-2! Hisoka's in the lead!" reported the referee.

Gon stumbled onto his feet. Once again, the magician smirked. "What's wrong? Attack me."

"No! I'm brainstorming!" Gon wiped off the sweat on his forhead. _Crap! I can barely follow him with my eyes. At this rate, he'll beat the crap out of me!_

Hisoka frowned. "Is that so, well then, I'll have to force you to come over here." He lifted up a finger and pulled it towards him. Promptly, Gon moved forward.

 _Crap!_ Using _Gyo_ , Gon noticed the pink aura attached his cheek and glared at Hisoka. The magician simply smiled. Although Gon tried to resist the pull, he didn't last long. Seconds later, he was flying towards Hisoka. Having no control over his arms and legs, Gon could only endure Hisoka's heavy blows.

"Plus three points to Hisoka! 6-2!" roared the referee.

Gon gritted his teeth. _I'm seriously getting played with. Am I really going to lose like this?_

Just when Gon was letting his pessimistic thoughts run loose, Hisoka suddenly spoke up. "You know what, if you answer my question correctly, I'll give you a free hit. Here comes the question: When did I attach my _Bungee Gum_ to your cheek? Choice one, when I elbowed you. Choice two, when I punched you in the face. Or choice three, when I punched you on the back."

 _When was it?!_ Gon tried to recall the three moments Hisoka had listed. "Choice three!" he declared.

"Wrong~" sang the magician. "The answer is choice four, when I was giving you my aura personality analysis."

 _That's dirty!_ Gon clenched his fists. _D*mn it, if only I had been using Gyo from the very beginning._

Hisoka, who seem to have read Gon's mind, spoke again. "I attached my _Bungee Gum_ onto you when your guard was down, however, I could've also attached it whenever I attacked you. Now then, do you think you could've avoided my attacks?"

"...No," Gon reluctantly said.

Hisoka hummed. "Good boy. I'm glad you understand the difference in strength between you and me. Now then, let's resume the fight."

With that said, Gon charged towards Hisoka. The magician certainly didn't expect this appoarch. Caught off guard, Gon arrived before Hisoka and landed a few punches and kicks. During the midst of that, Hisoka managed to land a punch on Gon. When the magician managed to execute another attack, Gon successfully parried with his two arms. _Good! I managed to block that! I'm also getting used to being dragged around by his Bungee Gum. I'm scared... But if I let my fear conquer me, how can I ever win against my future opponents?I can do this! Things aren't ending yet. It's only getting started!_

"Critical hits for both sides! Plus two points! Plus one point for Hisoka due to knockdown! The scores now are 9-4! Hisoka is still in the lead!"

Gon's eyes widened. He turned to the referee and protested, "It wasn't a knockdown! I got back up instantly! I even blocked his attack!"

The referee shook his head and ignored Gon's protest. In response to the referee's decision, the crowd filled the arena with complaints. Gon bit his lips and focused his attention back on Hisoka. _If I get hit once more, it's over!_

The magician smirked for the third time. "You must be more vigilant, Gon. Look to the right."

Gon glanced to his right. The moment his eyes left Hisoka, he felt something smashed against the left side of his face. "Oh, sorry, I was talking about _my_ right." That was the last thing Gon heard from Hisoka during the fight. The referee appointed the final point to Hisoka and declared the magician as the winner. Gon, who was left speechless, helped himself up. He didn't expect _that_ to be the last attack.

"You've made incredible progress but you still lack experience," stated Hisoka. The magician waved Gon goodbye and exited the ring.

Gon watched the magician fade into the distant. _He's so far away but_ not _out of reach._ _Surely, one day, I'll be as strong as him. Just you wait, Hisoka!_

* * *

Wing stood before his three _former_ disciples with a gentle smile. "This is really goodbye but of course, we'll meet again. However, before you all leave, I have some last words for you guys. From here on, you guys will need to master your own style of Nen and walk down the path of your choice."

When Wing finished talking, Zushi stepped forward and bowed. "I'm glad I was able to meet you all. You've set a worthy mark for me to surpass!"

"Oh?" Killua raised an eyebrow. "You think you can surpass us?"

"One day, for sure!"

"Won't happen," stated Elina.

"It will!"

"Good luck, Zushi! I know you can do it!" cheered Gon.

"Osu!"

Shortly, after the wrapping up the farewells, Gon and his companion headed for the airport. The three walked in silence. It was Elina who broke the silence. "Where are we going now?" she asked. Killua was curious as well. The assassin glanced at Gon.

Gon thought for a moment. "I was planning on returning to Whale Island," he finally said. "It's been over half a year since I left. I want to go back and show Mito-san my Hunter License. Besides, we still have around two months until September. I think we should all return to my place and relax for a while."

"...That's doesn't sound bad," stated Elina.

"Whale Island it is!" declared Killua.

The three exchanged meaningful glances before bursting into laughter.

It's a new beginning to another adventure!

* * *

I'm back~ Sorry for not updating. I'm glad to see that people are still reading this fanfic!

I'll be gone again but who cares about that.

Many thanks to: AkashiSeijuro105, AnimeFreak71777, AquaBluey, HiddenCamelia, HuangShaotian0005, Jayleenf1, Nattychan17, Nitrus7, Sanadienne, Allychix11, Roon27, Zuleimar, Jana Shorbaji, Amis55, Aphremis C, ChesseIsYummi, Crissybahra, DragonsFairy24, Ellabellanoche, Mystiki, NovaMey96, SeniL, Sissybegou, Boneset, Bwlchck, Cdlr123, Chainbreakerx, Flanxchan, 98, and Nadenali35

Until next time~


	22. Whale Island

Chapter 21

"..." Elina was left speechless. Seated at the table, she stared at the feast before her eyes. Meat, fish, rice, omelette, bread, salad, and more. There were too many dishes to count. Elina hasn't eaten anything decent for days. She has been living on bread and tomato soup for the past week. If it had been someone else at the table, they would've started shoving food down their throat. However, it's Elina we're talking about. Unfortunately for her, no matter how much she desires to eat everything, her stomach simply won't allow it. Why? Well, you see, Elina's stomach can only handle so much. It's called, 'having a small appetite'. The moment Elina began to feel nauseous, she instantly tore her eyes away from the food. Instead, she stole a glance at Mito-san, Gon's guardian, specifically his aunt.

Mito-san was a beautiful young woman. Her short orange hair shone underneath the sunlight and her amber eyes glistened upon reuniting with Gon. Currently, she was _still_ cooking food. The boys, Gon and Killua, were in the bath. Elina, who obviously couldn't join them, had no choice but to remain seated in her chair.

 _Should I say something in this situation?_ "Um…" She began. "Do you need help with anything?"

"No, it's fine. I've got it all under control." Mito-san plated another dish onto the table and smiled at Elina. "You're a guest so please relax."

As if on cue, Gon's voice rang down the hall. "We're done~" he sang, entering the room. He noticed Mito-san plating the final dish and took a seat across from Killua, who sat next to Elina. When Mito-san seated herself at the table, she and Gon, shut their eyes and shortly opened them again.

"What were you doing?" Killua whispered.

"Offering our thanks," answered Gon.

Killua was still confused, but before he could ask more questions, Mito-san handed him a bowl of rice. "Thank you," he said.

Mito-san grinned. "No problem."

Killua looked down at the bowl of rice in his hands. He felt a sense of awkwardness coming within himself. The warm hospitality he was receiving felt somewhat foreign to him. _When was the last time I felt so welcome? Was it at Elina's place?_

"What's wrong? Are the food not to your liking?"

A gentle voice brought Killua back to his senses. The assassin turned to his left and immediately noticed the worries in Elina's eyes. He frantically shook his head. "No, the food tastes great!"

"Is that so…" Although Elina wasn't convinced, she returned her attention back onto the food.

Once everyone was done eating, Mito-san had Elina take a bath as well. Suddenly, a problem came up. "What are we going to do about your clothes?"

Smiling, Elina reached for her black backpack. _He never fails to amaze me. This really did come in handy. He's as thoughtful as ever._ "It's fine, I have extras." With that said, Elina brought her backpack into the bathroom. While she was in the bath, Gon showed Mito-san his Hunter License. When Elina's finished, the three set out to explore the island. They ran on rooftops, jumped from tree to tree, climbed hills, took a dive in the ocean, and fished.

Soon, the moon replaced the sun. The trio set up a campfire and sat around it, listening to the cracking sound of the woods. Although there was silence, it was the comfortable kind of silence.

"Hey Gon, what are you going to do now?" The silence was broken by Killua.

"Me? I plan on resting here while gathering information on my dad."

"Is that so?" Killua flopped onto the ground. "I wonder what should I do."

"Eh? Aren't you staying here and then going to Yorknew City with me?" Gon turned to Elina with a puzzled look.

The female shrugged. "Don't ask me," she mouthed.

Killua sat back up and shook his head. "That's not what I meant. Unlike you, there's nothing I really want to do... Though there are plenty of things I _don't_ want to do… I guess I'm jealous?"

After hearing this, Gon's expression became serious. "I think it's fun to be with you, Killua."

"..." The assassin scooched away. "What's that all of a sudden?!"

Gon grinned. "You see, here on Whale Island, there aren't many kids that's my age. You're my first friend that's my age and I've very happy about that."

Killua hummed. "...Me too, you're my first friend as well."

Gon's grin grew wider. "Do enjoy yourself when we're together?"

The assassin nodded.

"Then we should stick together and travel the world! It'll be a blast! I can look for my dad and you can look for something you want to do."

Killua found himself smiling at Gon's stupid suggestion. "...Do you not get embarrassed saying that stuff?"

"Nope!"

The two burst into laughter. They seem to be enjoying themselves and seem to have forgotten about something, more like someone. Contrast to the bubbly vibe around the boys, a dark aura was emitted off of a raven-haired girl.

Elina took a deep breath before she opened her mouth and shouted in a 'not-so-quiet' voice, "Am I thin air to you guys?!"

Gon swore that if Elina had been any louder, he would've faint. Scratching the back of his head, he apologized. "Sorry, it wasn't on purpose."

"Yeah, totally." Elina crossed her arms. "Just so you know, I am pretty upset with that conversation. If Killua is the first friend you've made that's around your age, are you implying that I'm second?"

"..." Gon couldn't refute that claim.

Next, Elina snapped at Killua. "Did I hear you correctly? Gon was your first friend? Then what am I? Non-existence?"

Elina pursued her lips as she glared at the boys. "Acting as if I wasn't here, you guys are the worst." Elina knew she was being childish. She knew that she shouldn't be and if she were, that would've been out of the ordinary. However, at the moment, she simply felt like being childish. After all, she _is_ a child and a well-known troublemaker to _certain_ individuals. Furthermore, she was also enjoying the troubled expression the boys had.

A sheepish laugh escaped Gon's lips. Being the gentleman, he gave Elina a hug and tried to comfort her. He knew it was rude to ignore a girl. "Sorry, Elina. I promise it won't happen again. Also, when I said 'we should stick together', you were included in the 'we'. You're also a very important friend to me."

"Really?"

"Yup!"

"...Ok then, I'll forgive you this time." Instantly, Elina was back to normal. She had her fun. She did reflect on her actions but thought nothing much of it.

Gon heaved a relieved sigh and broke the hug. _Thank goodness_ … "Oh yeah, Elina, do you have anything you want to do?"

Promptly, the air went cold.

"There is," she said with a tight smile.

"Hah? How come I didn't know?" Killua crossed his arms. "Spill it out."

Gon's eyes sparkled. "I want to hear about it too!"

Elina chuckled at the two's reaction. She placed her index finger over her lips and said, "It's a secret." _Something not worth talking about._

"Eh~" Gon flopped onto the ground. "But I want to hear it!"

"Maybe someday in the future... But not anytime soon."

"I'm looking forward to it then!"

 _...Please don't. You'll only be disappointed afterwards._ "Whatever you say."

Gon grinned as he looked up at the starry sky. "One day, we'll definitely achieve our goal."

* * *

The next day, after breakfast, Gon returned to his room with a mini steel box.

"What's this?" Killua asked.

"It's from my father, Ging. He gave it to Mito-san and told her to give it to me when I become a Hunter," replied Gon.

"And how do you open it?" Elina noticed that the box didn't have any button or switch.

Gon shrugged. "I have no idea. I've used various methods but none of them worked."

Killua thought for a moment when suddenly, a lightbulb flashed over his head. "I got it! Gon, what is something you have as a Hunter that you didn't have before?"

This time, a lightbulb flashed over Gon's head. He reached for his pocket and pulled out a card. "My Hunter License!" he exclaimed. Just then, Gon noticed a problem and turned to his friends. "But there isn't an opening for a card."

Both Killua and Elina dropped their head in defeat. "No, that's not it. It's _Nen_ ," they said.

"Oops." Immediately, Gon used Nen to open the box and it worked. Inside the steel box was another box.

Before the trio went to open the new box, Killua threw a piece of the steel at Gon. "Doesn't that design look familiar?"

Gon's eyes widened. "You're right. This looks like the pattern on the promise thread Wing-san gave me."

"This design must have something to do with Nen. However, that's not what we're looking for." Elina picked up the new box and handed it to Gon. "I think that's the box where you'll have to insert your Hunter License."

"Got it." Gon inserted his Hunter License into the box and seconds later, the box automatically opened. Inside the new box were three items: a cassette tape, a memory card, and a ring that had the same pattern as the steel pieces and the promised thread.

The trio decided to listen to the cassette tape first and so they did. Long story short, from the recording, the trio learned that meeting Ging will not be easy. Killua called Ging 'a tough nut' after seeing how the tape got wiped out due to the Nen infused by him ten years ago.

After the cassette tape, the trio studied the memory card. "This memory card only works with the JS," noted Killua.

"JS?" repeated Gon and Elina.

"A gaming console called the JoyStation. It's three generations old. Anyway, if this island still has tape players, it probably still has consoles." Killua stood up. "Is there a toy store here?"

Gon nodded. "It's outside the port."

With that said, Killua left the house and went to the toy store to buy a console. Once he was back, he set up the console, made a copy of the memory card, and figured out what game the memory card was used for. Apparently, the memory card belonged to a game called, 'Greed Island'.

Killua searched up the game on Gon's laptop and couldn't believe his eyes when he saw the price. "Five billion, eight hundred million! That's ridiculous! As expected of a game for Hunters. And only a hundred copies were produced! That's practically nothing!"

Gon almost fainted when he heard the price. "Is it still in stock?"

Killua shook his head. "We'll need to find someone with a copy and ask them to let us have it. Our best bet is to advertise on a reverse auction website and wait for someone to sell us a copy."

"But where will we get the money?" Elina brought up a good point.

"If we pool our money from Heavens Arena, that's twenty hundred million," Killua noted.

Gon tilted his head. "So we'll need around another five billion?"

"Not necessarily," Elina stated. "With these private deals, the seller holds all the power. Typically, they'll demand a price higher than the original."

"So it'll cost even more?" Gon dropped his head in defeat.

Just when the boys were about to give up, Elina came up with a suggestion. "Killua, can't you ask Milluki if he has a copy?"

Killua felt his eyebrow twitch upon hearing the name, 'Milluki'. "But I don't want to ask him." Despite saying this, Killua called Gotoh and had him put Milluki on the line. Once again, long story short, the trio learned that Milluki didn't have a copy of Greed Island, but they did receive two leads. Lead number one: there's a website only for Hunters and it might have information on Greed Island. Then there's lead number two: there's a rumour that someone will distribute dozens of copies of Greed Island at the auction in Yorknew City."

"...So in the end, the matter about money doesn't change. We'll need lots of money to buy Greed Island… And don't forget, the Phantom Troupe might appear at the auction, we've gotta be careful." Elina spoke with great caution.

Gon and Killua nodded in agreement. No one knows what will happen in Yorknew City, they must always be on guard. The tension in the room was reaching its peak when Mito-san's voice was heard from below. "It's dinner time!"

The trio looked at each other and smiled. Gon stood up first. "Oh well, we still have some time before we leave Whale Island. Let's enjoy our stay!"

"You're right," Killua said, getting up as well.

Elina hummed in agreement. She watched the boys exited the room before looking out the window. _The Phantom Troupe is in Yorknew City… I don't know how I should feel about this…_

* * *

Coming right up, the Phantom Troupe Arc!

Many thanks to: FrankTeTank, Veloxi, and Lilidavidscat

MarianaFAN: Although it's very late, Happy New Year!

Elisablackcat: Hehe, look forward to it!

AnimeFreak71777: XD

Celline The Sleeping Beauty: Yay, I'm glad you thought that moment was cute . And yes, the Phantom Troupe Arc is next ;)

Thanks for reading!


	23. The Phantom Troupe

Chapter 22

On the outskirt of Yorknew City, there were many uninhabited areas. However, just recently, an infamous gang of thieves, known as The Phantom Troupe, started to live in one of the abandoned districts. They resided in the tallest and the shabbiest building. Currently, only three members were in that building. One of them was seated, reading a book beside a candle, whereas the other two (one happy looking and one grouchy looking) were standing and seemed to be on guard.

At the sound of footsteps, the two members who were standing became alert. However, when they saw who the footsteps belonged to, they smiled. Emerging from the shadow was a tall woman with short, straight, blond hair. She wore a purple suit that exposed much of her cleavage and a pair of pink flats.

"Pakunoda, how it's going?" greeted the happy looking man.

"I'm fine. Thank you, Shalnark. It's good to see you." Pakunoda then turned to the grouchy looking man. "You too, Phinks."

Phinks, the grouchy looking man, was tall and muscular compared to Shalnark. The only similarity they had was their blond hair. "You sure took your time getting here."

Pakunoda glanced at her watch. "No, I believe I'm right on schedule."

Phinks clicked his tongue. "No, you're supposed to arrive ten minutes earlier. That goes for you guys too, Bonolenov and Kortopi."

Hearing their names, two more members emerged from the shadows. The tall one was Bonolenov and the short one was Kortopi. Bonolenov had the appearance of a mummy. He was wrapped with white bandages from head to toe, revealing only his eyes. It was thanks to his red boxing shorts, gloves, and boots, that no one mistook him for a mummy. Kortopi, on the other hand, looked like a messy child. His thick grey hair covered his entire head, leaving only his left eye visible, and his oversized tunic made him seem shorter than he actually was.

Just when Shalnark was about to comment on Kortopi's outfit, another member arrived. It was Uvogin, the tallest and most muscular man in the troupe. He had mane grey hair and _very_ thick eyebrow. By the way, Phinks doesn't have any eyebrows. Compared to the other members, Uvogin dressed in a wild manner. His top was bare while his bottom consisted of bearskin shorts and boots. His personality was pretty wild as well. "Yo! I'm here, boss! What's our target this time? Give us your orders already!"

Shalnark laughed at Uvogin's impatience. "There's no need to rush, Uvo. Feitan's group won't arrive until evening. We'll have to wait until everyone's here."

Uvogin, in short, Uvo, clicked his tongue. "D*mn, so I've gotta wait half a day?"

Shalnark nodded. "Pretty much."

Just then, a woman with short black hair arrived. "Sorry, I'm late," she said. This woman was Shizuku, the latest member of the troupe.

With more than half the members gathered, just what exactly was the Phantom Troupe planning?

* * *

On the road to Yorknew City, four members of the Phantom Troupe stopped for a break. Nobunaga, a traditional samurai, turned to one of the members and asked, "How many years has it been since all thirteen Troupe members were gathered?" His question was directed to Feitan, a man of short stature but was lean and muscular.

Feitan answered, "Three years and two months. However, two members, #4 and #8, have changed since then."

Franklin, who has the appearance of a hulking Frankensteinian monster, turned to Machi and asked, "Will #4, I mean Hisoka, show up today?"

Machi shrugged. "No idea. Don't ask me."

"But wasn't looking after Hisoka your responsibility?"

Machi felt her eyebrow twitch. "No, I was only supposed to tell him to come."

"I don't like Hisoka…" muttered Feitan. "Why does the boss let Hisoka whatever he wants?"

Nobunaga rubbed his chin. "Maybe it's because he has skills? His _Bungee Gum_ is definitely impressive. It would be difficult to counter that."

Upon hearing this, Feitan narrowed his eyes at Nobunaga. "...Are you implying that the boss is afraid of Hisoka? I won't let that statement slide."

"That's not what I meant."

"It better not," snapped Franklin. "You're being too generous. Hisoka's nothing special."

"As always, you're all talk."

Electricity danced between the two grown men.

"Nobunaga, you talk too much."

"You were talking just as much as I was, Franklin."

Seconds later, the two were already using their fists to do all the talking.

Machi heaved a tired sigh. "They're at it again."

Feitan shrugged. "Leave them be. They're just playing around anyway. More importantly, how's the brat? Did she get stronger?"

"Oh, Elina?" Machi recalled the raven-haired girl at Heavens Arena and found herself smiling. "She seems to be fine and yeah, she did get stronger."

"What about her Nen?"

Machi shook her head. "Still the same."

Feitan hummed softly. "I see… That's too bad…"

"What? You guys are talking about Elina?" Nobunaga joined the conversation. Apparently, he and Franklin had stopped fighting. "That lass wasn't cute at all. She was so cheeky."

"But that's what the boss liked about her," Franklin noted, joining the conversation as well. "So? Is she coming with Hisoka?"

Machi glared at Franklin. "Can you _not_ mention that b*stard's name? And I don't know if she's coming or not. It's unlikely though." With that said, Machi stood up. "Let's get going. We've rested enough. We wouldn't want to keep the boss waiting."

* * *

The Phantom Troupe is an infamous gang of thieves with Class-A bounties. It's consisted of 13 members and each member has a numbered tattoo of a spider on their body. As a matter of fact, they're also highly skilled Nen users. By nature, members of the Phantom Troupe hardly stick together. They come and go at will. And so, here's a question: what happens if all 13 members came together? Needless to say, something _major_ will happen, but what specifically?

Currently, 12 out of the 13 members were gathered. They were all waiting for their final member.

Uvogin cracked his knuckle as he muttered, "D*mn Hisoka. The next time I see him, I'll tear him into pieces."

Upon this threat, an amused chuckle was heard. "Oh my, that sounds quite gruesome." Hisoka emerged from the shadows. "Please go easy on me."

Uvogin clenched his teeth. "You b*stard."

Before a fight broke out, Shalnark turned to the man who was still reading his book. "Boss," he called. "Everyone's here."

The so-called boss was Chrollo, the founder and the leader of the Phantom Troupe. Chrollo closed his book and stood up. He made eye contact with all the members and smiled. "Thank you for coming, everyone. I've summoned you all to do something big and that's robbing the underground auction treasures."

Shalnark's green eyes sparkled. "Oh? Which treasure?"

"Ancient texts?" Machi suggested. "The boss does like reading books."

"No, I'm thinking games," Feitan stated.

Nobunaga shook his head. "It's obviously going to be precious metals and gems."

Once again, before a fight broke out, Chrollo interrupted. "Everything," he said. "We're taking _everything_ that's up for auction."

Everyone's eyes widened. Uvogin took a step forward. "Are you serious, boss? The underground auction is run by gangs from across the world. If we do that, we'll be making enemies with them all."

"Are you scared, Uvogin?"

Uvogin grinned. "No, not at all. I'm thrilled!" He looked down at his trembling arms. "I'm even shaking with excitement! Now, give us your command!"

All the member looked at Chrollo with excitement in their eyes.

A hint of a smile flashed across Chrollo's lips as he gave his command. "Kill _everyone_ who interferes."

* * *

Elina stood before Gon and Killua with her hands on her hip. "Are you guys idiots? The moment I let you guys out of my sight, _this_ happens? We went from 20 million to 15 million! Did you guys think making money would be easy? Well, now you know it's not! First off, if you're gonna buy a product and then resell it, at least confirm the product's worth. Use trustworthy sites over the risky ones! What makes you think risky sites were the way to go? Those kinds of sites are full of counterfeits and lies! Also, didn't I say leave the money making to me? Why did you both act on your own accord when I clearly said not to?" Elina ruffled her hair in frustration. She turned to Gon and heaved a tired sigh. "Tomorrow, first thing in the morning, we're going to the central street market to get you a phone. It's impossible to contact you when you don't have one." She then turned to Killua. "As for you, call Leorio right now and tell him to meet us there tomorrow at 8 A.M." With that said, Elina exited the room. Of course, she didn't forget to slam the door. Everything happened so fast that the boys didn't even have the chance to speak.

Anyway, when the next morning came, the trio set out to the central street market. When they arrived, they immediately spotted Leorio. It didn't take them long to buy Gon a phone. Leorio suggested the Beetle 07, hence, Gon got that. After the phone was purchased, the four left the market and went to a nearby cafe for breakfast. They ate as they talked. There was quite an amount of catching up to do. It took them hours to catch up on everything. But once that was done, it was finally time to earn some money.

Leorio found a good spot near the central street market and set up a booth. Next, he went and purchased a gemstone. Then he gave Gon, Killua, and Elina some instructions. When the sun began to disappear behind the horizon, the four put their plan into action.

First, they've gotta attract some attention. Leorio was in charge of that. "Come on down, everyone! We're holding a conditional auction and here's what's we have up for bid!" Leorio flaunted the prize in his hands. "A diamond worth three million!" He pointed at Gon who was sitting at a table. "Arm wrestling will decide the winning bid! The first person to beat this boy gets the diamond. To particapte, you must pay an entrance fee of ten thousand jennies. Now then, let's start the auction!"

Immediately, a bunch of muscular men formed a circle around the booth. Leorio had the ones who wanted to participate form a line. Once the line was formed, the first contestant walked up to the table and took a seat across from Gon. Given the signal, the wrestling competition began. Gon would've loved it if he won right away, but Leorio told him to act like he was struggling, hence, Gon did. After a few seconds, the competition ended with Gon as the victor. The crowd cheered.

Leorio was a fabulous host. He kept the crowd on their toes and increased the number of challengers. With more and more people joining the competition, he had Killua collect the entry fees and guard the prize at the same time.

Elina, on the other hand, was doing something kind of different. She was attending the female audiences in the area. For a small price, she would either style their hair or do their nails, and with some additional charges, she would listen to their problems and give some advice.

Anyway, everything was going just as planned. By the time Gon has beaten a hundred and fifty people, it was already night time. Luckily, the crowd was as big as ever. Just then, a female with short black hair, wearing a outfit that consisted of a black turtleneck, blue jeans, and a pair of blue shoes, took a seat at the table.

"Look what we have here? It's our first female challenger!" Leorio gave the female a round of applause. When she and Gon were in position, he yelled, "Start!"

Unlike the previous rounds, Gon was actually having trouble. Although the match ended with him as the victor, he used every ounce of energy he had. Killua, who noticed this, whispered, "That was your full strength, wasn't it?"

Gon nodded. "Just who is she?"

Killua shrugged. "How would I know?"

Just then, a familiar voice called out their names. Elina, who returned to the hotel earlier, came back to get the boys. "Gon, Killua, Leorio, it's almost midnight. It's about time to put a pause on this auction." The three went along with her suggestion. There were some complaints from the crowd but nothing too serious. Leorio told the crowd to come again tomorrow, thus, the crowd slowly dispersed. While cleaning up the booth, Elina caught a glimpse of two familiar figures. Instantly, her eyes widened. _Wait, is that…? No- That can't be. Why would they be here? This is the street market. I must be seeing things_. Elina took a deep breath and scanned the area just in case. No Troupe members were in sight. _Yup, I must be seeing things. Besides, Feitan hates the noise. He would rather die than be here._

* * *

Shizuku returned to her companions with a subtle frown. It was so faint that they almost didn't notice. "Aw, I actually wanted that diamond," she said.

Franklin patted Shizuku on the head. "You should've used your left hand. Why didn't you use it?"

"...You're right, why didn't I?" Shizuku thought for a moment. "Oh, I know. It's because he extended out his right hand so I did the same. I'll like to challenge him again."

"You can't," Feitan said immediately. "There's no time. We also have our job to do. Besides, I hate the noise. If you didn't insist on coming here, I would've never come to such a noisy place." With that said, Feitan began walking away from the crowd. Franklin and Shizuku followed. "Don't forget, we're _thieves_. If we want something, we _take_ it."

* * *

The curtains have finally opened. Here it is, the Phantom Troupe Arc! I hope you all enjoyed. Tell me what you all think of this chapter in the reviews.

Celline The Sleeping Beauty: You'll know more as the story progresses ;) Stay tune!

Many thanks to: The Real Dragon God Slayer and Jensbertino

That's all for now. Cya all next time~


	24. Spiders

Chapter 23

" _Die._ "

Short and simple.

Not a single person in the auction hall thought tonight would be their last. Franklin's Nen ability, _Double Machine Gun_ , allows him to expel aura from his fingers in the form of bullets. The power of his bullets was tremendous as shown by the pool of corpses below the stage. Franklin turned to Shizuku. "Clean this up."

Shizuku nodded and conjured a blue vacuum cleaner. She flipped the 'on' switch and shut her eyes. Then, a subtle blue aura enveloped her and the vacuum cleaner. "Blinky, suck up everything that's in this room. The bodies, the body parts, blood, and even the chairs." Once the command was given, Shizuku opened her eyes and began vacuuming the room. A minute later, the auction hall was as clean as it could get.

Franklin gave Shizuku a pat on the head. "Good. How did your side go?"

Shizuku shook her head. "The safe was empty."

Hearing this, Feitan ripped off the stuffy tie around his neck. "Is that so? Well, there's no point of us being here now." With that said, he threw his tie in a nearby trashcan and exited. Franklin and Shizuku followed. The three sneaked their way to the rooftop and escaped using a hot air balloon that was prepared by four other troupe members.

As ordered by Feitan, Uvo dialed a call to their leader and explained their situation. "The safe was empty. According to the auctioneer, everything in the safe had been moved a few hours earlier. It's as if they knew we were coming. Don't you find the timing too perfect, boss?"

"Oh?" Chrollo sounded amused. "What are you trying to imply, Uvogin?

"I think there's a _Judas_ among us."

Nobunaga raised an eyebrow. "Wait, so you're saying that one of us is a traitor?"

The seven troupe members on the hot air balloon exchanged glances with one another. Tension began to surface but Chrollo's voice put a stop to it. "No, there are no traitors." The man spoke with confidence. "Judas sold Jesus out for thirty pieces of silver… But how much would the traitor ask from the Mafia? Considering the merit, what would the traitor gain by selling us to the Mafia? Money, glory, or prestige? Uvogin, do you truly believe that any of us cares for those things?"

Uvo thought for a moment. "...That's unlikely."

"Right? Besides, something here doesn't add up. Assuming there was a spy, the response was too tepid. If the Mafia had known that we, Class-A bounties, would appear at the auction, they would've strengthened the security more. Furthermore, the auction-goers were all uninformed and unarmed. This could only mean that the person providing the information wasn't explicit but nevertheless, the Mafia believed the information and took action."

"Uh, I don't really get it but whatever." Uvo scratched the back of his head. "The main problem is what are we going to do now?"

Chrollo thought for a moment. "Did you ask the auctioneer where the merchandise was moved?"

"Yeah, we did, but..." Uvo glanced at Feitan and passed him the phone.

"He swore on his life that he didn't know. I even tortured him so he couldn't have lied." Feitan returned the phone to Uvo.

A chuckle was heard over the phone. "Did you get the names of anyone who might know?"

Uvo grinned. "You bet I did. The auction is run by the heads of the Mafia community, also known as the Ten Dons. This is the only time when all of them are gathered in one place. Their commands are carried out by a special force, the Shadow Beasts."

"I see. Do you know how they moved the merchandise?"

"Well, about that… I heard that a member of the Shadow Beasts showed up at the safe. His name was Owl. He walked into the safe and then walked right back out empty-handed. However, when he left, the safe became empty."

Chrollo hummed at this piece of information. "He must possess a Nen ability similar to Shizuku's."

"And so? What should we do?" Uvo asked.

"Put on a show for the pursuers," Chrollo said. "That way, we can draw the Shadow Beasts out."

Uvo's grin grew wider. "Got it, boss. Leave it to me."

* * *

On the outskirts of Yorknew City, in the opposite direction of where the Phantom Troupe resides, was a desert valley named Gordeau Desert. Currently, seven troupe members were about to face hundreds of men. Just when the fun was about to begin, Uvo stepped forward. "You guys stay out of this. I'll handle it."

With that said, Uvo jumped into battle. All he had were his fists and that was all he needed. After all, physically, he _is_ the strongest in the troupe. Not a single men put up a good fight. It was like watching a gorilla stomping on ants. Bored, Shalnark suggested playing poker. There were no objections, hence, the remaining six played poker as Uvo fought.

In a far distance from the fray, a group of bodyguards hired by the Nostrade Family were carefully observing Uvo and his companions. They were a group of seven. One of the members, a male with medium blond hair, was so absorbed with the fight that he failed to notice the sudden appearance of some people. It was only until Melody, another member of the group, tapped him on the shoulder that he lowered his binoculars.

Behind the blond were four new faces. The four newcomers called themselves the Shadow Beasts. They were Worm, Rabid Dog, Leech, and Porcupine. After telling Dalzollene, the leader of the group, to stay put, the Shadow Beasts entered the battle.

Worm was the first person to land a punch on Uvo. Of course, Uvo punched him back. However, before Uvo could land another punch, Worm got a hold of his arm. In the next second, Uvo had his head against the ground and noticed that his left arm had gone underground.

"You can't escape now," Worm said from below the surface. "Make your choice. Do you want to die underground, at my hands? Or on the surface, at the hands of the other three?"

Uvo smirked at Worm's threat. "Idiot," he muttered, raising his right fist. "You're the one who's gonna die!" With that said, Uvo punched the ground and before anyone could grasp the situation, a crater measuring several meters in diameter was created.

That was the _Big Bang Impact_ , Uvo's Nen ability. By focusing his aura at his fist and then punching his target, an explosion would occur. The explosion from _Big Bang Impact_ rivals the destructiveness of a small missile to a nuclear warhead. Needless to say, Worm was obliterated, but that wasn't all. The force of the Uvo's attack obliterated the nearby corpses along with his top, revealing something he shouldn't have. Located on Uvo's broad back was a spider tattoo with the number eleven.

The blond who was still observing from the distance couldn't believe his eyes. He instantly felt his heartbeat accelerated at the sight of the spider tattoo. His binoculars shook due to his trembling fingers. Instead of pumping blood, he felt as if his heart was pumping adrenaline through his veins.

With a worried expression, Melody turned to the blond. "Kurapika…" she called softly.

"I'm fine," he said, forcing a smile. "I'm fine…" It was as if by repeating those words, he could suppress his raging anger.

Kurapika wasn't the only one who was shocked by the sight of the spider tattoo. The remaining Shadow Beasts were shocked as well. Even so, they continued fighting the monster standing before them. At some point during the battle, Uvo got his arm entrapped in Porcupine's ability, _Needling Body Hairs_. Rabid Dog, who saw this as an opportunity, used his ability, _Enhanced Fangs_ , and tore off some of Uvo's flesh.

Moments later, Uvo collapsed onto the ground. He appeared to have lost strength in his legs. Rabid Dog sneered at the scene. "You see, my fangs secrete a tranquilizer that's meant to incapacitate people. How does it feel now that you can't move anymore?"

Uvo narrowed his eyes and opened his mouth to retort a sarcastic reply. He stopped when he felt something cold and slimy on his left shoulder. Looking over, he saw Leech injecting something inside of his body through one of his wounds. Disgusted, Uvo didn't hesitate to bite off a chunk of Leech's head. Immediately after, Uvo turned towards his next target and spat out a fragment of Leech's skull. Like a bullet, it pierced through Rabid Dog's forehead. "One more to go," Uvo muttered. He sucked in his breath and then released it right after. "And done~" he sang, tossing away the dead animal on his left arm.

Just when Uvo was about to boast about his victory, an angry voice shouted, "You idiot, at least give us a warning! Are you trying to burst our eardrums as well?!"

Uvo waved off Franklin's complaint. "That would've given my plan away." He then turned towards Shizuku. "Hey, can you suck out the poison and the leeches from my body with your vacuum?"

Shizuku stepped forward. "Blinky can suck out the poison but nothing alive."

Uvo groaned. "Then what I am supposed to do?"

This time, Shalnark stepped forward. The pretty blond examined the leeches inside of Uvo and said, "As long as you drink a lot of beer, you'll be fine."

Uvo couldn't be happier with the plan. He stood up and walked towards Shizuku when suddenly, metal chains wrapped around his body. In the next second, Uvo was out of sight.

* * *

After hearing the news about the attack on the auction, Elina knew right away who the culprits were. No doubt about it, it was the Phantom Troupe. _So I wasn't seeing things last night._ She stared at the wanted poster in her hands and felt her eyebrows twitch. _I don't get it. Why are they playing poker in these pictures? Also, how could they let their picture be taken so carelessly? Are they alright in the head? On second thought, probably not._ Elina heaved a tired sigh before turning to Gon. Noticing the boy's frown, she asked, "What's wrong?"

Gon pointed at one of the targets. Out of the seven targets, he pointed at the only one who Elina didn't recognize. "Last night, I arm-wrestled her. Who would've thought that she was a Troupe member? If only we knew ahead of time then we could've captured her."

Immediately, Killua smacked Gon on the head. "Idiot! As if she'll be captured so easily. We're lucky that she didn't kill us for the diamond." The assassin then turned to Leorio. "So, did you manage to contact Kurapika?"

"No. He's not picking up." Leorio shoved his phone into his back pocket. "Now what? We're still lacking money so are we really going to capture the Phantom Troupe? The reward is very appetizing but finding them is basically impossible."

"We could offer a reward on the internet for those who have concrete information about the Troupe's location," Elina suggested.

"But we don't have the money for that," noted Killua.

Suddenly, a light bulb flashed over Gon's head. He took out his Hunter Licence and grinned. "I've got a good idea."

Gon's so-called "good" idea was not so good in the eyes of the two assassins. Killua shook his head in disapproval. "You're insane for pawning your Hunter License just for money."

Elina nodded in agreement. "You couldn't have said it better."

"But look!" Gon pointed at the ATM. "I'm rich!" He indeed was rich. The number of zeros was beyond what an ordinary person would see in their lifetime. Although the two assassins weren't very ordinary, they were still impressed by the amount of money Gon had in his bank account. Grinning from ear to ear, Gon pumped his fist into the air. "Now that we've got the money, let's do this! Greed Island, here I come!"

The four went and purchased the catalog for the auction before splitting up. Leorio returned to the hotel to gather information on the Phantom Troupe while Gon and the others went to purchase items to resell for money. As the trio shopped, Gon found a way to identify an item's worth and it was through using _Gyo_. To determine an item's worth was to see if the item emits an aura. If so, then it's valuable. If not, then it's not worth their time.

Killua let out a low whistle at this discovery. "So _Gyo_ can also be used like that? Interesting."

"I find the fact that it was Gon who thought of the idea to be even more interesting," muttered Elina. Of course, her statement was unheard by the boy dressed in green.

When the sun began to set, Gon and the others began reselling their items. Along the way, they met Zepile, an antique trader. Long story short, Zepile agreed to help the trio earn money for the auction.

Just then, Gon received a message from Leorio and immediately, his eyes widened.

The message read: _Spiders_.

* * *

Many thanks to: , Darweshabod5, Amazing Spectacular Spider Man, Gummi King, Nevermorne, BAlexa, ReadAthon45, Kitsuneblackwater, Coolfire30, Kuroi Tenshi 15, Corin Teo, Shisui Of The Body Flicker, Alexander Hargrave, NamineX13, Hw0134160, Kimmay94, Chocobeauty, Rosytheheal11, AlexJunWalker13, SpiritlessSoul, BlackWind 34, Sunrise Glimmer, Alphaprs987, Amarylis Potter, Infingern, Demareth, Magic Wow-man and El Deablo, Runningwithimagination, Aroara Moon, Alannahigginbotham54, and Hyper Brute!

Leofrick: Yup, it's finally here! Stay tuned!

Celline The Sleeping Beauty: XD How many questions do you have? I hope I will answer them soon.

Coolfire30: Aw! Thank you for kind words! I hope you enjoy this chapter.

CHITANCHAT: You took those words right out of my mouth ;)


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